Volume 2 - Issue 2, March - April 2026

Agriculture forms the backbone of the Indian economy, and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is one of the most widely cultivated oilseed crops in the country. Post-harvest processing of groundnuts, particularly shelling, has traditionally been performed manually, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and results in significant kernel damage and losses. The lack of access to modern processing equipment in rural and remote agricultural communities further compounds this problem, particularly in regions where grid electricity is unreliable or unavailable. This paper presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a solar-powered groundnut sheller machine aimed at addressing these challenges. The proposed system integrates a 25-watt solar photovoltaic panel with a 12V battery storage unit and a high-torque DC gear motor (100 kg torque) to drive a mechanical shelling mechanism. The machine operates on the principle of mechanical decortication, wherein groundnut pods are fed through a hopper and subjected to compressive and shearing forces by rotating drum elements, effectively separating the kernels from the shells. A separation unit then segregates the kernels from shell debris. The results demonstrate that the solar-powered sheller significantly outperforms manual shelling in terms of throughput, efficiency, and kernel integrity. The system is portable, cost-effective, and entirely independent of grid electricity, making it a viable and sustainable solution for smallholder groundnut farmers in rural India.

Prof. Minal Karalkar Vaishnavi Dafe, Tejas Giri, Prayas Bagde, Rahul Sakhare, Amrapali Mahajan,"Solar Powered Groundnut Sheller Machine" International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Development, V2(2): Page(1496-1500) Mar-Apr 2026. ISSN: 3107-6513. www.ijamred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.