Parameter Optimization of Tray Dryer Machine Endless Chain Pressure (ECP) with Taguchi Method at PT PN VIII Purwakarta

Abstract

: PT. Perkebunan Nusantara is a company that produce black tea. One of the step to make black tea is the process of drying tea leaves to have a water content of 2.5% - 3%. The company use Endless Chain Pressure (ECP) type machine. Inside the ECP machine there is a tray where the tea will be dried. Tray that use today is often broken in certain location. This study goal is to look for factors that affect the broken tray with Taguchi Method. The factors are adjusted to the company’s standard operational procedure in order to maintain the product. The factors use are drying time, inlet temperature, and inlet velocity. Base on orthogonal array L 16 (4 3 ) so that the experiment was obtained 16 times. Each experiment was conducted twice, Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) and Static Structural. The experiment result be analyze using S/N Ratio smaller the better and ANOVA. It is known that the optimum factor for tea drying machine tray are time level 1 at 1200s; inlet temperature level 1 at 369.25K, and inlet velocity at 16m/s and 24m/s with stress’s score 485.32 MPa. The ANOVA test results showed a significant factor in this study is inlet temperature with P-value close to zero but not zero.