Uji Kinerja Mesin Chopper Serbaguna untuk Memperkecil Ukuran Pelepah Sawit

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a multipurpose chopper machine in reducing the size of oil palm fronds at three rotation speeds: 1500, 1800, and 2000 rpm, with 1 and 2 stalk inputs. The observed parameters included work capacity, material loss, fuel consumption, and chopping uniformity. The results indicated that increasing rpm significantly affected the machine’s performance. The highest work capacity (94.8 kg/h) and lowest losses (4.58%) were obtained at 2000 rpm with two inputs, while the lowest specific fuel consumption (0.01008 l/kg) occurred at 1800 rpm with one input. The chopping uniformity was dominated by medium-sized fragments (0.2–<0.5 cm) at 44–45%. The optimal condition was achieved at 2000 rpm with two inputs, producing high capacity, low losses, and uniform chops. The chopped oil palm fronds have potential applications as livestock feed, briquette raw material, and alternative energy.