Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Unité de Formation en Sciences Exactes et Appliquées (UFR, SEA), Laboratoire d’Energies Thermiques Renouvelables (L.E.T.RE), 10 BP 13495 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Tubers (cassava, yam and sweet potato) are among the food agricultural products of the populations of Burkina Faso. These tuber roots are perishable and deteriorate easily. Therefore, post-harvest treatment is necessary to improve their shelf life. This study relates to the sizing of a tuber cutter-machine. The tubers cutter has a 1430 x 600 x 1060 mm frame clutter, two hoppers with a capacity of 2.90 dm3 at work and two cutting chambers. In each of the cutting chambers is a 420 mm diameter-cutting disc, on which are mounted three blades each offset by 120 ° geometrically in the diametral direction. The cutting discs in each chamber are driven by the same electric motor of 4 kW at 1500 rpm for an empty working speed 450 rpm. The transmission system is composed of: a shaft transmission, two (02) pulleys with two grooves of diameter 100 and 333.33 mm and, two (02) type C trapezoidal belts. Shaft has a diameter of 35 mm and is carried by two SKF type bearings for rool ball bearing.