Development of a pilot fufu flour production plant

Abstract

The need to conduct techno-economic studies which is a prerequisite for investment decision has resulted in this project to develop a pilot fufu flour production plant. Part of the production plant already available at the Food Research Institute before the inception of the project include a hot air dryer, a disintegrator, a Y-cone blender, a weighing machine and a heat sealer at the Okponglo premises and wet starch production plant at the Pokuase premises. Machines and equipment needed to compliment the existing units of the plant include a peeling/washing bench, a pressure cooker with hoist system, trolleys for receptacles and holding tanks and a hammer mill. 1he designs of the additional units of the plant which were based on the capacity of the hot air cabinet dryer are completed and the final engineering drawings are 70% complete. Three mobile holding tanks and one trolley for the receptacles have been constructed. The construction of the peeling/washing bench and the pressure cooker with the hoist system are 80% and 90% complete respectively. Some of the existing units of the plant have been rehabilitated and reconditioned. These include the control panel of the hot air dryer and the Y-cone blender. Additional developments made to some of the existing units include the construction of one hundred (100) aluminium perforated trays to replace the aluminium wire netting used and a permanent metal stand for the control panel of the Y-cone blender. It is expected that the plant will be ready for trials and the techno-economic studies by March, 1998