Abstract:
Testing and evaluation of rice milling machine based on Thai Industrial Standards ( TIS) was aimed to study the system components of a rice mill, test the performance and efficiency of rice milling machines, analyze the economics cost and the suggestions for improvement of rice mill efficiency.
Eight rice mills were selected - Banthongkuem Rice Mill, Bangbungtake Community Enterprise Rice Mill, Jedeehak Community Center Rice Mill, Bansrichula Community Rice Mill, Agricultural Product
Improvement Learning Center Rice Mill, Bankomailai Community Center Rice Mill, Phromchaiphatthana
Community Rice Mill, and Banyoihai Community Rice Mill. The study parameters were the milling rice recovery, the head rice recovery, the percentage of polishing, the percentage of whole grains, and the milling capacity. The research study was conducted based on Thai Industrial Standards 888-2532.
The milling capacities of selected rice mills were varied between 2-4 tons per day. Most paddies were directly purchased from the members of the rice mills. The machines used in the rice mills mainly consisted of rubber roll huskers, friction whiteners, paddy separators, and rice grading machines. According to the testing and evaluation of rice milling machines, the milling capacity varied between 0.08-0.5 tons of paddy per hour. The milling rice recovery and the head rice recovery ranged between 65-93 percent and 50-71 percent, respectively. These parameters were higher than Thai Industrial Standards. The economics cost analysis showed that the breakeven points of the eight rice mills were 145, 168, 72, 187, 140, 30, 64 and 28 tons of paddy per year, respectively. Considering the contract rate of 200 baht per hour, the payback periods were 5.4, 4.3, 2.8, 5.3, 2.8, 2.4, 3.3 and 1.2 year, respectively.