Design and Fabrication of Pelletizing Machine for Mangosteen Pericarp: Investigating Binding Ratios and Pellet Characterization
Abstract
Fruit residues, a significant environmental concern globally, present both challenges and opportunities. The Philippines, for instance, faces substantial waste management issues with fruit residues from industries like Dole’s plantation. In Mindanao’s Sulu province, despite producing substantial amounts of mangosteen fruit, a significant portion goes to waste due to inadequate market knowledge among farmers. This study addressed these challenges by proposing a solution through the development of a biomass pelletizing machine specifically designed for mangosteen pericarp/ shell. The machine equipped with a 3-horsepower motor and a specialized pulley and gear system, demonstrated efficient operation in pelleting experiment set-ups. Furthermore, the study investigated the hardness and compressive strength of mangosteen pericarp pellets with varying binding agent ratios. It was found that a binding ratio of 0.382, consisting primarily of pregelatinized cornstarch and lime, produced pellets with higher mechanical properties, meeting international standards for biochar pellets in terms of hardness, compactness, moisture content, and bulk density. Therefore, this research contributed to mitigating fruit waste issues by introducing a practical solution for utilizing mangosteen pericarp through pelletizing. The findings suggested that optimized biomass pelletizing machines can effectively convert fruit residues into valuable biochar pellets, promoting sustainability and resource efficiency in agricultural waste management.
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