Design and Fabrication of an Indigenous Motorized Tiger Nut Juice Extraction Machine

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) is widely consumed for the production of a nutritious beverage known as tiger nut milk. Traditional methods of extraction are labor-intensive, time consuming, and inefficient. This study presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a motorized tiger nut juice extraction machine. The machine consists of a hopper, crushing chamber with screw auger, perforated extraction barrel, electric motor drive system, juice outlet, and supporting frame. Design calculations were carried out for the shaft, screw auger, power requirement, and frame strength. The machine operates using a 5 hp electric motor that drives the screw conveyor which crushes and presses-soaked tiger nuts against a perforated screen to extract juice. Fabricated using mild steel and stainless-steel components, the machine was tested to evaluate extraction efficiency, throughput capacity, and juice yield. Results show that the machine achieves an extraction efficiency of approximately 90% with a processing capacity of 500kg/h. The developed machine reduces processing time, improves hygiene, and enhances productivity compared with traditional manual extraction methods. The machine is suitable for small and medium scale tiger nut beverage production.