CHAPTER I

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This chapter identifies and describes the history and nature of problem. It indicates
the root of the problem being studied appropriate solution for the problem in
relation to theory research, and/or practice, its scope, and the extent to which
previous studies have successfully investigated the problem nothing where gaps
exist that the study attempts to address.

INTRODUCTION

Water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes ) is a hydrophyte or a free-floating

perennial aquatic plant, native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. Water
hyacinth rises above the surface of the water usually 1 meter in height, with thick,
broad, ovate and glossy leaves. The leaves are 20-10 cm across, and usually float
above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks, while the
feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black in color.

Water hyacinth grows quickly by producing primarily by way of running of

stolons, which eventually form daughter plants. Each plant produces thousands of
seed which can last up to 28 years. The common water hyacinth grows actively
and found to grow between 2 and 5 meters a day in some sites in Southeast Asia.

Researchers have found solutions to make these crops useful and

profitable. The Menonite Central Committee has been analyzing with paper
production from water hyacinth stems for many years in Bangladesh. The water
hyacinth fiber, when blended with waste paper or jute, produces a good quality of
paper. Other small-scale papermaking business has been successful in a number
of countries, including the Philippines, India, and Indonesia.

In Philippines, water hyacinth is dried and used to produce a good quality

products alike and also a baskets, flip flops, bags etc. the stalks are properly dried
before being used to produce good quality products. If the stalks still contain
moisture, it can cause the product to rot quickly.

These processes of making good quality products of water hyacinth are fully
manual labor due to the absence of modern technologies. This caused the
production time to take a lot of time. The drying process is the most time consuming
process. This takes about 2 days of good sun drying to reduce the moisture content
to about 10-12 percent. This study aims to reduce that production time to the most
efficient time but the process will have the same result.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Water hyacinth an aquatic plant of the genus Eichhornia of the pickerelweed

family (pontederiaceae), consisting of about five species, native primarily to
tropical America. Some species float in shallow water; others are rooted in muddy
stream banks and lakeshores. All have slender rootstocks, feathery roots, rosettes
of stalked leaves, and few too many flowers arranged in spikes or clusters in the
leaf axils.

The common water hyacinth (Escrassipes) is the most widely distributed

species. Its leafstalk is spongy and inflated, and the upper lobes of the purple
flowers have blue and yellow markings. It reproduces quickly and often clogs slow-
flowing streams.

The study will allow the production of dried water hyacinth to be more
efficient than manual processes. Time is one of the key factors in the production
industry. With this study, the drying of the raw materials will be reduced to the
minimum level. Rather than waiting for days to dry the water hyacinth, it will only
take hours to produce the same result. By this, the production rate will increase.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
 The study focuses on the development of the Design Cutting and Sorting
Machine of the hyacinth fiber with the aim of introducing its application in Barangay
across the Philippines. Figure 1 shows the paradigm of the study.

Figure 1: The Research paradigm

The model shows the chronological order of the development activities from
conception to the final evaluation of the project. It is subdivided into three major
components namely input, process and output. The input box shows the
prerequisites in the project conceptualization. It includes the current state of
knowledge based on a literature review of existing design concepts, design
considerations, the choice of materials and preparation of equipment for the
fabrication.
The process box includes the designs to attain the output. This includes the
innovation of existing concepts to improve the process and designing based on the
knowledge acquired by conceptualization, fabrication of parts and its assembly
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In the Philippines, water hyacinth blocks irrigation canals and rivers and can
kill marine life by draining oxygen out of the water. It blocks the passageways of
water system entering the ocean, causing floods in rural areas. It also hinders
fishing and enhances breeding places for vectors that transmit harmful diseases.
Specifically, in Laguna Lake, it grows in abundance that is has become a nuisance
to navigation. It enters lakeside farms in such quantities that it interferes in rice-
growing. Local government units around 90,000 hectare lakes spend a fortune to
annually remove water lilies in mouths of rivers and in streets after typhoons.

The main problem of this study is to make the performance of water hyacinth fiber
to be more efficient, to help the farming industry, save time, and labor. The results
will help answer the specific problems:

1. How long will it take the sorting and cutting machine to produce a water hyacinth
fiber for handicraft and furniture?

2. How many water hyacinth fiber can produce versus the manual?

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study is to develop a water hyacinth fiber sorting and
cutting machine for handicrafts and furniture products.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1. To develop a water hyacinth fiber sorting and cutting machine for handicrafts
and furniture products.
2. To design and fabricate a mechanism for the removal of the leaves and roots
of Water Hyacinth.

3. To test evaluate the performance of the machine in terms of:

3.1. Speed advantage- rate of production as compared to manual

process.

3.2. Texture Quality- texture of the hyacinth fiber.

4. To determine the most suitable area to deploy the system.

SCOPE AND DELIMINATION

The research project covers the fabrication, computation, testing,

evaluation and design of water hyacinth fiber sorting and cutting machine. Locally
available materials will be used in the fabrication of the prototype without
compromising the design.

The study is concerned with the process of making a sorting and cutting

machine for water hyacinth fiber only and no other material should be processed.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study must yield result to dry the water hyacinth fiber with a shorter
amount of time and will help in improving the Taguig water lily livelihood’s Center
for making good quality water hyacinth fiber. This project also promotes the proving
of water hyacinth fiber processing machine with moisture level indicator which will
become more efficient and will help the workers to save time, also to reduce the
production time.

Another aim of this study is to produce water hyacinth fiber at anytime

during the year. Philippines is a tropical country with two seasons (dry and wet).
The traditional way of drying is sun drying which obviously need a solar energy.
However, in the wet season, this process will be delayed due to the lack of main
factor of the process which is the suns heat. This study will help in this regard.
During the rainy season this machine will still be able to produce at the same rate.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter shows the academic literature and related studies. This will
also present the theoretical approach, present study relevance and definition of
terms for better comprehension of the study. The concept, ideas and design
extracted from these reference sources served as the basis for the core conceptual
model of the project.

HISTORY OF WATER HYACINTH IN THE PHILIPPINES

With rapid rate of proliferation, water hyacinth has severely infested

Philippine water. It is most damaging aquatic plant worldwide because of its
capability to reproduce at an extraordinary rate, thereby blocking rivers and lakes.
It grows in mats up to 2 meters wide which can change water chemistry, reduce
light oxygen, and affects local flora and fauna. In Laguna de Bay, it covers about
20% of the lake’s surface area. Because of water’s high sewage concentrations,
the plant yields about 657 tons of dry matter per hectare a year.

With its pervasive, water hyacinth has caused barriers to waterways

causing problems in marine transportation like fishing, and irrigation, especially in
the major water areas of the Philippines like Pasig River and Laguna de Bay. By
clogging up waterways and irrigation systems, it creates breeding grounds for
mosquitoes, causes heavy floods and increased pollution especially on rainy
seasons. During the rampage of Typhoon Frank in 2008, Cotabato City noted that
the water hyacinth worsened the situation, flooding nearby municipalities
containing more than 5000 houses.

The Department of trade and Industry (DTI) had pioneered livelihood

activities to transform the water hyacinth into valuable products with commercial
value. The water hyacinth stalks in Laguna, Las Pinas, Pampanga, Pasig, and
Taguig have been harnessed and delicately woven into bags, home accents,
personal accessories, and many more products.

Figure 2: Water Hyacinth (Eichhorniacrassipes)

DRYING

Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or

another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is
often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. To be
considered “dried”, the final product must be solid, in the form of a continuous
sheet (e.g., paper), long pieces (e.g., wood), particles (e.g., cereal grains or corn
flakes) or powder (e.g., sand, salt, washing powder, milk powder). A source of heat
and an agent to remove the vapor produced by the process are often involved. In
bio products like food, grains, and pharmaceuticals like vaccines, the solvent to be
removed is almost invariably water. Desiccation may be synonymous with drying
or considered an extreme form of drying.

In the most common case, a gas stream, e.g., air, applies the heat by
convection and carries away the vapor as humidity. Other possibilities are vacuum
drying, where heat is supplied by conduction or radiation (or microwaves), while
the vapor thus produced is removed by the vacuum system. Another indirect
technique is drum drying (used, for instance, for manufacturing potato flakes),
where a heated surface is used to provide the energy, and aspirators draw the
vapor outside the room. In contrast, the mechanical extraction of the solvent, e.g.,
water, by filtration or centrifugation, is not considered “drying” but rather “draining”.

Drying has been defined as a process that frees wet material of its liquid or
moisture content by exposing the material to a particular drying temperature,
whereas dehydration is defined as loss of all liquid or moisture content from a
material. Dehydration can thus result from a drying process. In the perspective of
this study, the drying process of water hyacinth petiole samples was continued
until the samples reached zero equilibrium moisture content (otherwise referred to
as dehydration). However for the purposes of consistency in reporting, the whole
process including the point of zero equilibrium moisture content was reported as
drying. The drying process yielded a relationship between moisture content and
drying time that enabled the prediction of drying rates for the range of drying
temperatures used.

DRYING PROCESS

Sun drying is a traditional method for reducing the moisture content of water
hyacinth stem by spreading/ hanging it under the sun. The solar radiation heats up
the stems as well as the surrounding air and thus increase the rate of water
evaporating from the plants. It is the most common drying method in Asia because
of its low cost method. However, sun drying tends to be labor intensive and has
limited capacity. Temperature control is also difficult in this method and stem can
easily be overheated causing cracked which leads to brittle and easily to crushed.
It is also not possible to sun dry at night or during rain.
On the other hand, water hyacinth has a high fiber content (up to 20% by
weight) which makes it potential to become raw material for composites and textile
industries. As an aquatic plant, water hyacinth has a high initial moisture content
that reaches more than 90%. Meanwhile the moisture content of fiber as a
raw material for composite and textile industry should not be more than 10% to
maintain the good quality of the products. Mixed adsorption drying method is one
of the innovative methods that can replace conventional drying process.
Fluidization method which has been commonly used in agricultural and
pharmaceutical products drying can be enhanced by combining it with
the adsorption method as performed in this study. In mixed fluidization-adsorption
drying method, fly ash as adsorbent and water hyacinth fiber were put together
into the fluidization column where the drying air evaporate the moisture content
in water hyacinth fiber. In addition, the adsorbent adsorb the moisture content in
the drying air to make the moisture content of the drying air remain low. The drying
process is performed in various temperature and composition of water hyacinth
and adsorbent in order to obtain the optimum drying condition. In addition, the
effect of fly ash pellet and fly ash powder to the drying process was also
performed. The result shows that the higher temperature and the more amount of
adsorbent results in the faster drying rate. Fly ash pellet shows a
better adsorption since it has a smaller pore diameter and wider surface area. The
optimum temperature obtained from this study is 60°C and the optimum ratio
of water hyacinth and fly ash is 50:50.

Factors Affecting Drying Process

During drying process the control of air temperature and its circulation in the
system is important. If temperature is too low and humidity is too high, the moisture
content of water hyacinth fiber will dry more slowly and microbial growth will occur.
Further, the temperature that is too high at the end of drying period causes the
fiber to scorch.

Important factors affecting the rate of drying are:

1. Initial moisture content of the raw material

2. Composition of raw material

3. Initial load kept in drier

4. Temperature, relative humidity and velocity of air used for drying

5. Size, shape and arrangement of stacking of the raw material

6. Rate of heat transfer on the surface of the food.

7. Pre- treatment of the raw material prior to drying (peeling, blanching, sulphuring
etc.)

Properties of Water Hyacinth

The moisture absorption of untreated and treated individual water hyacinth

(WH) fibers as well as comparison the mechanical properties of WH fibers –
unsaturated polyester (UPR) matrix composites after and before immersion in
water. The result shows that the individual WH fibers treated with various alkali
concentrations did not exhibit significantly decreases of their moisture absorption.
SEM photograph in cross section of the treated WH fibers shows swollen cell wall
containing more nano and micro hollows. Tensile and flexure strength of the wet
composite samples are lower than that of dried ones. However, increases volume
fraction of the WH fibers in UPR matrix affected slightly on enhancement
mechanical properties of the composite samples.

RELATED STUDIES

The following are some related studies concerning Water Hyacinth research
that was published on different journals and research libraries, and came in various
forms such as books, journals, diaries, dissertations, articles, etc.

The Water Hyacinth can only be reduced up to 72% after 15 days with
temperatures and humidity averages of 25 degrees Celsius and 68 percent RH
respectively.(solly,1984).
 Bowling (1941) noted that an understanding of the structure of the material
and their action under pressure is the basis upon which densification processes
are established. Fibrous materials are resilient and elastic that mere pressing is
not sufficient to retain its pressed state.

The following are other related studies:

FEATURES
TITLE YEAR AUTHOR
OTHER STUDY OWN STUDY

The determination
of optimum Asep Handaya
condition in water Saputra
Mixed
hyacinth drying and Using Metallic
Fluidization-
process by mixed 2017 Heat – Resistant
Rizky Anggreini Absorption
absorption drying Alloys
Putri Drying Method
method and
modified fly ash as
an adsorbent

This involved
identification of

Dewatering and C O Akendo the Pertinent

Drying Properties that

Lawrence O. Using Metallic
Characteristics of influence
2019 Gumbe Heat – Resistant
Water Hyacinth dewatering of
Ayub N Gitau water hyacinth Alloys
(Eichhornia
crassipes) Petiole petiole and then
developing
predictive
empirical
 equations for the
identified factors

Cut and Collect Cut roots and

Berky Mowing plants, such as leaves but
BERKY Aquatic
N/A Machines rooted, floating collecting of water
Weed Harvester
(company) plants, algae and hyacinth is done
Water Hyacinths manually

Dedicated
coconut fiber
dryer. Mainly
Zhengzhou composed of hot
Dingli New blast stove, feed Using Metallic
Palm Fiber Drying
2013 Energy conveyor, rotary Heat – Resistant
Machine
Technology Co. drum dryer, dust Alloys
Ltd collector, and
power
distribution
cabinet.
 Can collect and
hold up to 25 Collection of
Water Hyacinth
N/A DOST kilograms of water hyacinth is
Harvester
water hyacinth done manually
per load

Bergaro, Rose
Honeylen M. Cylindrical flat –
bed with an
Canaveral,
automatic stirrer
Jomar R.
Palay Dryer with The heating
Diamante,
Automated Moisture element was Using Metallic
Lenolan L.
Content Sensor and 2018 consisting of a Heat – Resistant
Manabat,
Mixer using PIC heating coil and Alloys
Dennis C.
Mirco –Controller fan
Medina, Resty
The coil was
Joy B.
made up of
Reyes, Allen tungsten wire
Claine D.

Carreon, Paulo
Niko B.
Omron PLC
PLC Based Locking Cruz, Turiano
Mitsubishi
and Counting 2016 III CX Programmer
Melsoft GX 100
System
De Guzman, CX Designer
Reinheart
Jason R.
 Kabamalan,
Kyrus L.

Silpedes, Rick
John

Versoza, John
Louise M.

Babas, Davy
Jones C.
Used oven
Pareja, Jaffet
method for
A.
Development of an determining the
Using Metallic
Alternative Solr Reyes, Karl moisture level on
2018 Heat – Resistant
Grain Dryer Using Reynold S. grains by
Alloys
Transparent Sheets compairing the
Talandron,
weight of the
Loida D.
grain
Turico, Renalyn
Y.
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter bespeak the sequence of methodology which will be followed

throughout the whole research study. The step-by-step process listed in this
chapter were analysed by the researchers prior to their main topic and will be
accomplished as the proponents followed the procedures mentioned.

PROJECT DESIGN

Designing and prototyping technique were employed in this study since

there are few or no earlier studies to refer to or rely upon to predict the outcome of
the research regarding the development of micro-controller based water hyacinth
fiber processing machine with moisture level indicator. The emphasis was to gain
insights and familiarity for future performance and further development of water
hyacinth fiber cutting and sorting machine for handicraft and furniture products.

The process starts with the proper selection of locally available and
appropriate materials to their functions. By observing the products that are already
in the market and recognizing a need for innovation, the proponents were inspired
to design and develop the water lily drying process. The main goal of this project
is to decrease the production time of the dried water hyacinth fiber compared to
the traditional way.

This allows the industry to produce more handicraft product in a more efficient time.
The manual process can consume atleast 2-3 days of sun drying. The design will
allow the producers to produce a good amount of raw materials for their products
in a more efficient time and weather will not be a factor.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

The accomplishment of the project involved a wide range of activities such

as research, identifying the problem, conceptualized, initial design phase,
prototype constructions, fabrication, testing, assessment and final modification.
The research methodology that was used is illustrated in figure 3.

Research

Identification of the Problem

Initial Design Phase

Material Selection

Construction and Fabrication

Testing and Assessment

IS THE PROJECT
NO
WORKING?

YES

DEVELOPMENT OF PLC BASED

MICRO-CONTROLLER WATER
HYACINTH STEM PROCESSING
MACHINE
 Figure 3.1: Project Development of the (title of research)

The study will also include a program for the main operation of the whole
process. A Programmable Logic Controller will be used to be the main controller
of the whole machine. Omron PLC will be used and the software for the program
is the CX- Programmer and for the Machine Interface is CX-Designer.

Researches

The proponents shall conduct an investigative research about the

properties of Water Hyacinth itself and the procedures to be met in order for it to
utilize as a good quality fiber for handicrafts materials. The researcher’s will visit
the locations which will be used as reference. The researcher’s will also inquire
about opinion of different person that have contribute knowledge in the said field.

Identification of the Problem

Identifying the problem is the key to the study by conducting initial

experiment it will help the proponents identify the factors that affect the water
hyacinth fiber dying process.

GATHERING OF RAW
MATERIALS

CLEANING OF RAW
MATERIALS
 CUTTING OF ROOTS PILLING OF READY TO
DRYING OF
AND LEAVES DRY FIBER
FIBER

COLLECTING OF
DRIED FIBER
WASTE

Figure 3.2 Flow of Initial Experiment

Water Hyacinth Drying Process Experimentation

The goal of this is to determine the best possible way to dry the Water Lily
based on the following factors.

 Location of Drying (Outdoor or Indoor)

 Sunlight Exposure (Exposed or Not Exposed)
 Position of the Raw Materials (Hang or floor Surface)

Water Hyacinth Drying Process Experimentation

 The goal of this test is to utilize the available raw materials in the pasig
river (stretches from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay) in order to actuate the Water
Hyacinth Drying Process, thus allowing the researchers to have a better
understanding in the subject matter. Listed below are the experiments that the
proponents will conduct.

 Measure the average size of water hyacinth stem

 Test the moisture level content
 Test the suitable moisture level for production.

Initial Design Phase

In this stage, the proponents gathered information and researches

undergone deliberation was done to make the initial designs of the project. The
design of the parts was made and the use of Solidworks , Autocad software
helped create the model of the prototype.

Material Selection

The specification acquired from the initial design was considered before
fabricating the prototype. Undersized materials would lead to frames and
machine elements break down while oversized materials, though durable, would
cost much and mighty greatly increase the weight of the machine.

Construction and Fabrication

Researchers have obtained the preliminary research, conceptualization,

design construction and material selection and the fabrication will be conducted
as per the modification of the testing unit is acquired and inspected.

Testing

The Water lily was uses as the raw material for handicraft making .Specific
test were conducted in order to determine if the prototype is working according to
expectations. This phase also identifies whether revisions in design is necessary.
Experimental Assessment

The researchers will assess the machines based on procedure of testing,

comparison of expected output to the actual output and the advantages of the
prototypes contrast to the existing available machines in the market.

The proponents assured that the assessment for the project is reliable by
gathering enough data through series of trials.