Asian Journal of Scientific Research1992-14542077-2076Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/ajsr.2019.462.471AfolabiOkunola Abiodun EmekaOkonkwo Clinton GiftOlumhense Akhere FaithAjao AdeniyiOlayanju Tajudeen 42019124Background and Objective: Grain cleaning is still normally carried out by women and children in rural villages. The aim of this study was to design, develop and optimize the conditions necessary for producing clean maize grains by using a response surface modelling method. Materials and Methods: Maize (Zea mays L. varieties hybrid single cross) was used for this study. Effect of the feed gate openings (13.23, 24.94 and 33.06 mm) and air velocity (9.12, 10.21 and 12.3 m sec1) on the performance efficiencies (separating loss, cleaning loss and separation efficiency) was studied. Results: The performance efficiencies (separation loss, cleaning loss and cleaning efficiency) evaluated were significantly (p<0.05) affected by feed gate opening and air velocity used with correlation coefficients R2 = 0.803, 0.799 and 0.814, respectively, whereas the effect was not significant on the separation efficiency with correlation coefficient R2 = 0.564 and the optimal performance efficiencies were obtained by using the desirability function method. The desirability value obtained was 0.986. Conclusion: So, it was concluded that the effects of the feed gate opening, air velocity and its optimization were regarded as very useful to ascertain the performance efficiency of the developed grain cleaning machine.]]>Nwakaire, J.N., B.O. Ugwuishiwu and C.J. Ohagwu,2011304954Folaranmi, J.,20081122130Bola, F.A., A.F. Bukola, I.S. Olanrewaju and S.B. Adisa,201349095Smith, R.D. and R.L. Stroshine,198528893902Mishra, A., J.P. Sinha, J.K. Singh and B.S. Tomar,20188816761681Aguirre, R. and A.E. Garray,1999305963Okunola, A.A., J.C. Igbeka and A.G. Arisoyin,2015215871592Tabatabaeefar, A., H. Aghagoolzadeh and H. Mobli,2003518Pradhan, R.C., S.N. Naik, N. Bhatnagar and V.K. Vijay,201087762768Srivastava, A.K., E.G. Carroll, P.R. Roger and R.B. Dennis,20062nd Edn.,Pages: 571Pages: 571Kolawole, S.S. and V.I.O. Ndrika,201214157164Okonkwo, C.E., A. Olaniran, J.O. Ojediran, T.A. Olayanju, F. Ajao and A.S. Alake,20192019Ayodeji, O.O. and J.J. Yisa,2014215Ojediran, J.O., C.E. Okonkwo, A.A. Okunola and A.S. Alake,201820202209Asoiro, F.U. and J.C. Chidebelu,2014Zea mays).]]>225465Eissa, A.H.A.,200923145Werby, R.A.,201027266283Hussain, S.Z. and B. Singh,201560171176Drambi, U.D., H.A. Saeed, L.G. Abubakar, A.A. Mohammed and U. Bashir, 201733741Simonyan, K.J. and Y.D. Yiljep,20085113Muhammad, U.S., L.G. Abubakar, M. Isiaka and R.M. Davies,201316266