Prototype Seaweed Washing Machines Based on Hybrid Technology

Abstract

Seaweed has a high economic value in terms of its considerable use in various industries of sweets, cosmetics, ice cream, flavourings, bakery, sauce, silk, meat/fishery canning, medicine and iron-rod welding. In 2005,Indonesia has declared that seaweed as one of the leading commodities to be prioritized and revitalized. To produce quality of industrial-scale seaweed has necessary a serious handling, start from harvesting process, uploading, washing, drying, up to manufacturing caraggenan.This study has tried to produce a seaweed washing machine that capable to improve the quality of the seaweed in the washing process. This washing machine is based on hybrid technology that can be operated using energy from pedal-powered and electrical-powered generated from solar panels.The washing machine resemble three-wheeled transport vehicle using pedal-powered for mobility. Activity of seaweed washing process using plastic drum that rotated. There are two different size of plastic drum used in washing machine, the bigger size for static water storage containers and the little one for dynamic (rotation) using pedal-powered or electrical motor.The rolled chain transmission that connected with integrated toothed gear is used to ratate a dynamic drum. The different between pedal-powered and electrical-motor powered lies in process to rotated dynamic drum. Pedal-powered use manpower to rotated dynamic drum but electrical motor powered from electrical that generated from solar panel. Washing machine with pedal-powered similar like pedal powered that contained in bicycle. Solar panel systems which is the source energy for generated electrical motor consists of solar panel itself, controller, battery and DC to AC converter. Overall the machine has works well butt need improvement in terms of manueverability

Pada 2005, Pemerintah Indonesia telah menetapkan rumput laut sebagai salah satu komoditi unggulan yang diprioritaskan untuk direvitalisasi. Alasannya permintaan ekspor masih sangat besar, teknologi budidaya yang mantap dan sangat sederhana, kebutuhan modal baik untuk investasi maupun operasional relatif kecil, siklus produksi relatif singkat hanya sekitar 45 hari, tergolong usaha padat karya, dan areal budidaya tersedia sangat luas. Kegiatan penelitian dilaksanakan selama 8 bulan, dimulai bulan Agustus 2010 sampai dengan Maret 2011. Penelitian dilakukan di dua tempat, yaitu (1) Laboratorium Instrumentasi Kelautan, Departemen ITK, untuk melakukan perancangan mesin pencuci rumput laut dan pengujian lab; serta (2) Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi, Jawa Barat. sebagai tempat diambilnya sampel rumput laut dari pembudidaya, yakni di Desa Sanggrawayang. Menimbang potensi rumput laut yang sangat besar dan kebutuhan pasar yang amat tinggi, maka perlu adanya pengembangan mesin pengolah rumput laut yang ditujukan untuk meningkatkan nilai tambah yang berlipat ganda dari produk tersebut. Adapun penelitian yang dilakukan adalah sebatas proses pencucian rumput laut dari proses pengolahan secara keseluruhan, dengan membuat rancang bangun mesin pencuci rumput laut berbasis teknologi hybrid, yaitu menggunakan penggabungan sumber energi yang dihasilkan dari sistem pedal dan sistem tenaga matahari.