Design, Fabrication and Testing of Improved Traditional Rice Parboiler

Abstract

This study focused on the design, fabrication and testing of improved traditional rice parboiler. The parboiling methods adopted in rural areas in Nigeria need to be modernized to improve their performances. This led to the development of an improved traditional rice parboiler at the National Cereals Research Institute Badeggi (NCRI). The parboiler has a capacity of 70kg with soaking chamber volume of 0.3269 m3 and a steaming chamber volume of 0.0759 m3. The steaming chamber is located directly below the soaking chamber and it is provided with two drain plugs to drain water off from the paddy and the steaming chamber. The parboiler is mounted on a frame which is insulated with bricks blocks to minimize heat loss during parboiling. Firewood was used as the source of fuel. Tests results using three rice varieties FARO44, FARO 28 and FARO 40showed that the improved traditional rice parboiler, parboiled 70kg of paddy rice in 1hr 50mins, 1hr 57mins and 2hr 5mins for FARO 44 (long grain), FARO 28 (medium grain)and FARO 40 (short grain). The parboiler consumed 3.6 kg, 3.6kg and 5.0kg of fuel for FARO 44(long grain), FARO 28 (medium grain) and FARO 40 (short grain) respectively at a soaking temperature of 75ᴼC and steaming temperature of about 100°C. Water absorption test showed that FARO 28 (medium grain) recorded highest water absorption compared to FARO 44 (long gain) and FARO 40 (short grain) which is the basses on which the points are not closely distributed. This confirms that there is significant difference in water absorption of the three varieties of paddy rice parboiled using the local improved rice parboiler. The local improved rice parboiler, parboiled 70kg of paddy rice in 1hr 50mins, 1hr 57mins and 2hr 5mins for FARO 44 (long grain), FARO 28 (medium grain)and FARO 40 (short grain). local improved rice parboiler consumed 3.6 kg, 3.6kg and 5.0kg of fuel for FARO 44(long grain), FARO 28 (medium grain) and FARO 40 (short grain) at a soaking temperature of 75ᴼC and steaming temperature of about 100°C. Water absorption test showed that FARO 28 (medium grain) recorded highest water absorption compared to FARO 44 (long gain) and FARO 40 (short grain) which is the basses on which the points are not closely distributed. With a production cost of N22, 500:00 (twenty thousand, five hundred naira only) local improved rice parboiler parboiled average 0.224 tons/day, 0.75tons/month and 84.375ton/year for 8-9 working hours.