Comparative Performance Evaluation of Beater Blade Designs in a Banana Sheath Fiber Extraction Machine for Natural Fiber Applications

Abstract

This study evaluates the performance of three beater blade configurations—5-blade, 13-blade, and 32-blade designs—for banana fiber extraction, focusing on mechanical strength, production yield, fiber quality, and energy efficiency. Using standardized fresh banana sheaths, experiments were conducted with three replications per test group to ensure statistical reliability. The results demonstrate that the 5-blade configuration offers the superior engineering profile, exhibiting the lowest bending stress at 19.4 MPa and a minimum shear stress of 1.90 MPa, which is 33.5% lower than the alternative designs. This significantly enhances structural safety against fatigue and cracking. Regarding production performance, the 5-blade design achieved the highest fiber yield ($Y\%$) and Fiber Quality Index (FQI), particularly at a clearance of 0.8–0.9 mm with a 5-inch pulley. This setup optimized energy consumption, reaching a minimum specific energy of 0.06 kilowatt-hours per kilogram (kWh/kg), representing a 68.4% reduction in energy usage compared to the 32-blade model. While the 13-blade design yielded comparable quantities to the 5-blade version, it exhibited higher qualitative variability. Conversely, the 32-blade design performed poorly across all metrics due to extensive fiber damage during extraction. In conclusion, the 5-blade beater blade provides the optimal balance of material safety, yield quality, and energy efficiency, providing a definitive framework for enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of small-scale industrial banana fiber production.