Performance Assessment of NCRI Parboiling System with Local Improved Parboiling.

Abstract

The need to improve on parboiling techniques by rural farmers in Nigeria has led to the development of a parboiling device at the National Cereals Research Institute Badeggi (NCRI). The local improved rice parboiler has a soaking chamber of 0.3269 m 3 and a steaming chamber of 0.0759 m 3. The steaming chamber is directly below the soaking chamber and it is provided with two drain plugs to drain water off from the paddy and the steaming chamber. The parboiler is mounted on a frame which is insulated with bricks blocks to minimize heat loss during parboiling. Firewood was used as the source of fuel. The performance Assessment of the improved (NCRI) parboiler was compared with the local improved method of parboiling. The improved NCRI parboiler, parboiled 40 kg of rice in 2hr 5mins, 2hr 7mins and 2hr 15mins for FARO 44( long grain), FARO 28(medium) and FARO 40 (short grain) respectively. The local improved rice parboiler, parboiled 40kg of paddy rice in 1hr 50mins, 1hr 57mins and 2hr 5mins for FAEO 44 (long grain), FARO 28 (medium grain)and FARO 40(short grain). The quantity of fuel used in parboiling using NCRI method were 4.8kg, 4.8kg and 5.2kg for FARO 44 (long grain), FARO 28(medium grain) and FARO 40 (short grain) while local improved method consumed 3.6 kg, 3.6kg and 5.0kg for FARO 44(long grain), FARO 28 (medium grain) and FARO 40 (short grain) at a soaking temperature of 75ᴼC and steaming temperature of about 100°C. Overall results show a significant improvement, less time of operation and a cheaper cost using the developed parboiler. There was no significant difference in the water uptake of the rice parboiled using the Improved and local improved parboiler at varying temperatures.