Performance Evaluation of Locally Fabricated Hammer Mills in Rural Uganda: Crafting a Test Protocol

摘要

The objective of this development project is to craft a hammer mill test protocol that can be used in the field in rural Uganda given the inherent constraints of type of equipment and available resources. The protocol will evaluate the performance oflocally fabricated hammer mills in Uganda by measuring the final particle size, power/energy consumption and product throughput. Lifetime of the hammers will be assessed as a measure of machine durability. Validation of the test protocol will be carriedout on three (3) types of hammer mills.Uganda has an agriculture-based economy and has targeted value addition of its staple food crops as a priority area for agricultural development. Thus, the agro-processing industry, including milling, is a key area of focus (or the government. However, the major players in the Ugandan milling industry, local/artisanal hammer mill fabricators and hammer mill operators do not follow GMPs, compromising both hammer mill performance and dour quality and safety. This is exacerbated by the lack of regulatory standards with regards to standardization of materials of construction and methods of construction for agro-processing equipment.Upon completion of the project, a test protocol will be available for use in rural Uganda and other East African countries. The protocol will allow millers to compare performance and efficiency of various hammer mills in terms energy efficiency and durability. The protocol may also be able to serve as the basis for development of national standards for hammer mills used in production of milled food and animal feed.