AGRICULTURAL

Introduction
Revised 2017
MACHINERY
AND
EQUIPMENT

THRESHING AND SHELLING n Threshing – It is the process of detaching the grains from the
EQUIPMENT panicle by means of impact or by rubbing action.
by

Alexis T. Belonio, MS, PAE, ASEAN Engineer

Former Associate Professor

Department of Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Management
College of Agriculture Resources and Environmental Sciences
,Central Philippine University, Iloilo City

Former Affiliate Professor

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
College of Engineering, Central Luz on State University
Science City of Munoz , Nueva Ecija

Former Adjunct Assistant Professor

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology
University of the Philippines at Los Banos
College, Laguna

Methods n Mechanical Threshing

– by subjecting the grains into a
rotating parts of the thresher
n Manual Threshing
– Capacity ranged from 500 to
– By the use of a threshing frame, a 2000 kg/hr
flail, or by foot trampling.

Threshing
Cylinder Classifications of Mechanical
Thresher
n According to Operation
– Through Flow – a machine
whereby the harvested product is
threshed while the cut plants are
wholly fed into the machine in an
opening perpendicular to the
Straw cylinder and directed to an outlet
which is also perpendicular to it.
Concave

Grains

Mechanical Threshing of Grains

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n Classifications of Through Flow
– Single Cylinder – A type of thresher which consists of only one
threshing cylinder.
– Double Cylinder – A type of thresher which consists of two cylinder
arranged in series or one after the other.

Multi-Cylinder Through-Flow
Peanut Threshing

Out
– Axial Flow – It is a mechanical
thresher whereby the stalk with the
grains is fed into one of the threshing Out
chambers and the materials moved
axially until the straw is thrown out at
the other end when all the grains are
removed. In

In

Through-Flow Axial-Flow

n According to the Method of Feeding

– Throw-In Type – A mechanical thresher whereby the whole
cut plant are fed into the machine and major portion of the
grains is threshed by the initial impact of the bars or spikes
on the cylinder and further threshing is accomplished as the
moving panicles hit the spikes or the bars of the concave.

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n Hold-On Thresher – A n According to the threshing Units
mechanical thresher wherein
– Rasp bar – It is a kind of threshing cylinder wherein equidistant bar-
during the operation, the stalk
is held mechanically by the like protrusion in parallel orientation are laid on the periphery of the
operator until all the grains are cylinder
detached from the panicle.

– Wire Loop – it is a kind of

threshing cylinder wherein wire
loop of the same arch and of
equal sizes are attached around
the periphery of the cylinder in
tandem arrangement.

Classifications of Axial-Flow
– Peg-Tooth - It is a kind of threshing cylinder wherein spikes or pegs
of equal length are attached around the periphery of the cylinder in
tandem fashion. Thresher
n Portable Axial-flow thresher without Oscillating Screen
– Simple and light weight for ease of movement of machine in the
field

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n Portable Thresher with Oscillating Screen
– Equipped with oscillating screen, centrifugal blower for winnowing
screen.
n Mobile Axial flow Thresher
– It is similar but larger in size with the portable thresher with
oscillating screen.
– Usually equipped with support wheel for ease of transport.

BASIC COMPONENTS OF
MECHANICAL THRESHER

n Threshing Cylinder – It is the part of the thresher that rotates about

the axis equipped with either pegs, rasp bar, or wire loop on its
periphery. It is the main parts of the thresher that separates the
grains from the panicle.

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 n Concave – the part of the thresher which encloses the threshing
cylinder and allows the separation of the grains from the panicle.
– Lower concave – a semi-circular shape wire mesh or bars covering
the lower portion in which the cylinder rubs and separate the grains
from the panicle and through which grain fall.
– Upper Concave – a semi-circular shape top cover of the threshing
cylinder consisting of a metal sheet with louvers and/or grills which
assist threshing and axial movement of the straw.

Cover

Louvers

Threshing
Cylinder

Concave

Upper Concave Blower

Lower Concave
V-belt Drive
Example of Concave
Engine Frame

Typical Conventional Raspbar Cylinder

Settings for Various Crops Factors Affecting Threshing
Capacity
Crop Peripheral Clearance Clearance n Moisture content of the grain
Speed (m/s) Front (mm) Rear (mm) n Straw to grain ratio
Barley 27-34 10-18 3-10
n Length of straw cut
Beans 7-20 20-35 10-18
n Variety
Maize 10-20 25-30 15-20
n Operational skill
Oats 27-35 12-20 3-10
Peas 7-18 20-30 10-18
Rapeseed 15-24 20-30 10-20
Rye 25-35 12-20 3-10
Rice 20-30 14-18 3-6
Wheat 24-35 12-20 4-10

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 Factors Affecting the Power Testing Thresher
Requirement of a Thresher n Actual Capacity – It is the threshing output collected per unit time.
n Blower Loss – It is the ratio of the weight of collected grains blown
n Feeding Rate with the straw to the total grain input expressed in percent.
n Clean Threshed Grains – It is the threshed grains with 100% purity
n Moisture content of crops
exclusive of empty grains.
n Length of straw or stalks n Cracked Grains – Grains whose endosperm are partially fractured.

n Cylinder Diameter – It is the effective diameter of the circle

generated by the outermost points of the cylinder threshing
elements.
n Cylinder Peripheral Speed – It is the equivalent linear speed of
the outermost point of the cylinder during threshing operation.
n Grain Content – It is the weight ratio of grain to harvested crop
under the same moisture content of 20% expressed in percent.

Pictorial of Testing Rice Thresher

Actual Capacity Total Losses

Ca = Wg / Tt Lt = Lb + Lse + Lu + Lsc

where:
Ca - actual capacity, kg/hr where:
Wg - weight of threshed grain, kg Lt - total losses, kg
Tt - threshing time, hr Lb - blower loss, kg
Lse - separation loss, kg
Lu - unthreshed loss, kg
Lsc - scattering loss

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 A rice thresher was tested for threshing
newly harvested rice. Tests have shown
Blower, Separation, Unthreshed, that 2000 kilos of palay was threshed in 3
Scattering losses hours time. The amount of loss gathered
were as follows: blower loss is 90 kilos,
separation loss is 200 kilos, unthreshed
% Lb = 100 Lb / (Ct+Lt)
loss is 50 kilos, and scattering loss is 120
kilos. What are the percentages losses of
% Lse = 100 Lse / (Ct+Lt) the threshing equipment? What is its
threshing capacity in kg per hour?
% Lu = 100 Lu / (Ct+Lt) Given:
Weight of threshed palay - 2000 kg
Threshing time - 3 hours
% Lsc = 100 Lsc / (Ct+Lt) Blower loss - 90 kg
Separation loss - 200 kg
where: Unthreshed loss - 50 kg
Cl - clean threshed grain, kg Scattering loss - 120 kg

Required: Percentages losses and threshing capacity

Peanut Thresher
Sunflower Thresher

Corn Sheller Peanut Thresher

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 References

n NGA. Harvesting, threshing, and cleaning of Paddy. Technical

Research and Services Directorate. National Grains Authority.
32pp.
n PCARRD. 1978. The Philippine Recommends for Rice
Postproduction Operation. PCARRD Technical Bulletin Series
No. 63. PCARRD, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines. 130pp.

Maize Sheller

Thank you very much and

God bless!!!

Recipient, 2016 Outstanding ASEAN Engineering Contribution Award (AFEO, Malaysia)

Associate Laureate, Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2008 (Geneva, Switzerland)
Laureate, Economic Business Development, The Tech Awards 2010 (San Jose, California, USA)
Recipient, Betterment for Mankind Award 2011 (Morgan Hill, California, USA)
Awardee, Seven Inspiring Modern-Day Filipino Heroes 2011 (Yahoo Southeast Asia)
Awardee, Heroes for Better 2015 (Western Union Philippines)
Awardee, The Outstanding Young Filipino 1997 (TOYM and Roxas Foundation)
Awardee, Outstanding Professional in Agricultural Engineering 1993 (Professional Regulation Commission)