ANALYSIS OF A MOTORIZED JUICE EXTRACTOR USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY AND COST ANALYSIS

Analysis of a motorized juice extractor using response surface methodology and cost analysis has been carried out. The study used RSM to analysis the effect of input variables on the responses which were the performance metrics. The cost of production of the machine was equally analyzed. The result of the work showed that for the range of variables considered in the performance analysis of the machine, maximum EE of 83.66% was obtained at the machine operating speed of 400 rpm, feed rate of 1.5 kg/min, blanching temperature of 80oC and blanching time of 6 min, while the maximum EC of 3.89 L/min was obtained at the machine operating speed of 500 rpm, feed rate of 1.0 kg/min, blanching temperature of 60oC and blanching time of 9 min. It was observed that an increase in operating speed and feed rate leads to increase in extraction efficiency after which there was a corresponding decrease in extraction efficiency at higher speed. An increase in the machine operating speed with blanching temperature leads to increase in extraction efficiency, after which there was a decline. An increase in operating speed with fruit blanching time resulted in an increase in the juice extraction efficiency and then a decrease in extraction efficiency. The results obtained for an increase in blanching temperature and feed rate, leads to a corresponding increase in juice extraction efficiency. However, at higher temperatures and material feed rate, the extraction efficiency decreased. An increase in feed rate and blanching time leads to a corresponding increase in juice extraction efficiency; however, at higher material feeding rate and blanching time, the extraction efficiency decreases. The result obtained showed that increase in operating speed and feed rate resulted in an increase in extraction capacity after which there was a corresponding decrease in extraction efficiency at higher speed. It is clear that the extraction capacity of the machine increased with increase in the machine operating speed and blanching temperature, after which there was a decline in extraction capacity. The range of variability between the actual and predicted extraction efficiency lies between 0.093 and -17.970. An increase in operating speed with fruit blanching time leads to an increase in the juice extraction capacity and then a decrease in extraction capacity. An increase in blanching temperature and feed rate leads to a corresponding increase in extraction capacity. However, at higher temperatures and material feed rate, the extraction machine capacity decreased. The result showed that an increase in feed rate with blanching time leads to a corresponding increase in juice extraction capacity; however, at higher material feeding rate and blanching time, the extraction capacity decreases. An increase in fruit blanching time with blanching temperature leads to corresponding increase in the juice extraction capacity, and then extraction capacity decreases at higher temperature. The residual values in the table showed that the least residual value of 0.019 occurred at standard order of 15 and the highest residual value of -1.50 occurred at standard order of 13. The range of variability is 0.019 to -1.50 which is significant and the prediction model for juice extraction capacity has to be applied with some caution and physical observation of the juice extraction machine. Finally, the overall price for the produced machine is quite cheaper than the imported machine. The produced machine is ₦149800 ($99.87) while the imported is ₦300000 ($200).