Development of Pedal Operated Honey Extractor
B. O. Akinnuli
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
O. O. Awopetu
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
P. P. Ikubanni *
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria.
O. O. Agboola
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Bees are winged insects that produce honey by their activities with the nectar of flowers. The honey produced is sweet and are finding replacement for sugar nowadays. Honey bees live in hives where the honey combs being formed by the bees are being deposited. Various methods had been exploited in extracting this honey from the honey comb both traditionally and by different designs of extractors from the primitive to a modern one. Although the former design which was locally produced in Nigeria was hand driven which functions quite efficiently, however, there is need for new innovation that involved the introduction of pedaled mechanism. An existing honey extractor design was improved upon with the introduction of pedal mechanism as compared to the hand driven one with the aim of extracting the honey in the most hygienic way with the suitable materials required. The efficiency of the machine was estimated to be 85 per cent, which was compared to the former available designed one of 83 per cent efficiency. The cost analysis for the production of the machine was included in the work which was estimated to be #48750 (US$243.75).
Keywords: Honey, pedaled, extractor, hive, bee, improved, shaft, production, machine, efficiency