Enhancing flour quality and milling efficiency: experimental study on bullet plate type flour grinding machine

ABSTRACT

This study aims to optimize the operational parameters of the Bullet plate type flour grinding machine for processing PBW 824 wheat to enhance both machine performance and flour quality. The objective is to identify optimal settings for grinding speed, plate distance, and wheat moisture content using optimization techniques. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CCD) were employed to evaluate these parameters. Controlled experiments varied each parameter at five levels, collecting data on throughput, energy consumption, flour fineness, and protein content. The results indicate throughput increased from 225–275 kilograms per hour (kg/h) at 900 revolutions per minute (RPM) to 275–400 kg/h at 1500 RPM, while energy consumption rose from 6-10 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to 12–20 kWh. Flour fineness was highest (80%–90%) at smaller plate distances (0.5 millimeters (mm), and protein content decreased from 13%–14.5% at 10% moisture content to 12%–13.5% at 15%. These findings highlight the trade-off between productivity and energy efficiency and the importance of optimizing moisture content to preserve nutritional quality. The study successfully identified optimal operational parameters, enhancing the performance and quality of the grinding machine. Future research could apply these optimization techniques to milling machinery and wheat varieties, contributing to advancements in milling technology and agriculture.

Keywords:
Flour milling; Optimization; PBW 824; Performance; Flour quality