MECHANIZED CASSAVA STARCH PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Cassava starch is a whitish, powdery material which is used in the food, pharmaceutical pulp and paper and textile industries.
In the past, cassava starch was mainly used as a staple food by some tribes in Nigeria and for domestic laundry purposes. However, attention has been drawn to its industrial uses in recent years. Among its industrial uses are: as thickener or paste in the food industry; syrup in the pharmaceutical industry and for textile sizing in the textile industry. Based on these industrial uses of cassava starch, FIIRO has been motivated into researching on the mechanization of its production process, and also to upgrade the traditional production technology.
Production Process
The production process comprises of simple operations which have been mechanized, resulting in the upgrading of the traditional method of producing starch. The essential operations are as follow:
Sorting and Weighing
The harvested cassava tubers are sorted to remove roots, twigs, rotten tubers and small tubers. The wholesome tubers are then weighed.
Washing and Peeling
The wholesome tubers are washed to remove dirt and sand, and then peeled manually. (Experience has shown that it is advisable to peel manually).
Rasping (Disintegration)
The peeled tubers are rasped into a mash and then transferred on to a sifter for screening.
Screening
The cassava mash is sifted under running water to separate the pulp and fibres from the slurry.
Extraction
The thick slurry produced as a result of screening is further sieved to remove the smaller pulp. A vibro screen is most ideal for the sieving operation. The resultant product is starch slurry.
Sedimentation
The extracted starch in slurry form is allowed to sediment in a holding tank. The sedimentation process is natural.
Dewatering
The Supernatant (liquid) is drained off, whilst the thick slurry is further dewatered, using either basket centrifuge or hydraulic press. Starch cakes are thereby produced.
Granulation
The wet cakes are broken into smaller particle sizes for easy drying.
Homogenizing/Blending
The starch is mixed with other additives such as preservative and colouring agents.
Drying
The granulated cakes are fed into the dryer, which reduces the moisture content to the desired level.
Milling and Packaging
The resultant dried starch powder is further milled to acceptable particle size and then packaged.
CASSAVA STARCH PRODUCTION FLOW CHAT
Cassava tubbers
Sorting and
Weighing
Washing and Peeling
Rasping and
(Disintegration)
Screeming
Extraction
Sedimentation
Dewatering
Granulation
Homogenizing
Drying
Milling
Packaging
Labour requirement
Five workers are required for the factory operations. Four as operator and one as supervisor. Casual labourers will be needed for peeling the cassava tubers.
Machinery and Equipment
The equipments required are:
- Grater/Rasper
- Hammer mill
- Homogenizer/Blender
- Hydraulic press
- Extractor sedimentation tank
- Vibro screen machine
- Flash dryer
- Packaging machines (Dispenser and sealing machine)
Space Requirement
A space 10m X 20m will be adequate for the project.
Proposed Production Programme
No. of hours/day 8hours
No. of days/week 5days
No of days/year 250 days
No. of batches/day 1 batch
Volume of production 1 ton/8hr day
Estimated Capital
Requirement
₦
The total equipment cost 5,810,000.00
Estimated fixed capital 11,741,000.00
Estimated working capital 1,939,760.00
Total capital requirement 13,680,760.00
Profitability
₦
Total production cost 18,520,000.00
Gross profit 3,980,000.00
Tax at 30% 1,194,000.00
Net profit 2,786,000.00
Services Available at FIIRO
-
Training in starch production
-
List of equipment vendors
-
Preparation of detailed feasibility reports
-
Quality control analyses.
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Technical assistance services (including machine and equipment installation and commissioning. Personnel training on installed machines).
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Consultancy services.