Desain Konseptual Penangkap Tandan Buah Sawit dan Pemanfaatan Energi Potensialnya

In oil palm harvesting, falling fruit bunches have a considerable potential energy, which can be captured and used to power the wheelbarrow in evacuating the fruit bunches. This study was conducted to measurethe engineering characteristics of fruit bunches harvesting, determine the best fruit bunches catchment platform material, analyze the potential energy of falling fresh fruit bunch, and design a conceptual designof the catchment platform and evacuation machine. Measurements of the characteristics of the harvesting were done in an oil palm plantation. Four types of fruit catchment platform materials were tested, namely:steel plate, wood board, expanded steel plate and rubber sheet. The results showed that, bunches fell at a distance between 0.6 m to 1.4 m from the tree. Fruit bunches weight was in the range of 16 kg to 32 kg.The rubber catchment platform was superior to the other materials in reducing the scattered loose fruits and bruised fruits. Potential energy of falling fruit bunches were in the range of 0.44-4.44 kJ. Theoreticaltraveling distance of the wheel barrow powered by the captured potential energy was in the range of 2.27 m - 22.98 m. Based on the data obtained, a conceptual design of catchment platform and evacuation machinewas designed