The Study of Properties Para Rubber Sheet Dried by House with Local Drying Technology

Abstract

The objectives of research were to study the drying rubber sheet process and approach and development for the rubber sheet drying facility by utilizing local technology  and  to study the property of dried rubber sheets produced by using local technology. The research samples were of rubber farmers in Chathaburi province. The data collection were carried out by utilizing the questionnaire forms, observation, interviews, and organizing meetings with the focus group. Data were analyzed and interpreted by deploying the use of descriptive statistic of both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

              The results showed that in order to obtain high quality rubber sheet, the key processes were to filter the latex to ensure that it contained no impurities and sediment in the sheets, the appropriate amount of acid used in coagulation of the latex that would make the latex as clear yellow in color, the sweeping process to eliminate the bubbles that can be found in the rubber sheets, the rubber pressing process by using iron slipped and rolled to certain thickness, and the rubber drying process by utilizing solar power. The drying facility must be airtight and the final process to drying the rubber would be heated by burning wood to ensure that the rubber sheets must be completely dried with no fungi contained inside

              The rubber drying plant was a one-floor concrete building with steel reinforcement, plaster walls, and metal structured roof with semi-transparent, that allowed light passing through in order to generate heat from daylight which, in return, would eliminate the moisture from the rubber sheets as much as possible. The drying plant was designed to ensure that the air circulation had to be kept to the minimum level in order to minimize the fungus and prevented the sheets becoming black in color. At the center of the plant there was a pipe receiving the heat from the burning wood which accelerated the process of moisture elimination from the rubber sheets and this would make the sheets becoming yellow in color and containing much less fungus.

            The properties of rubber sheets in terms of impurities, moisture, original Wallace Plasticity (Po), Plasticity Retention Index (PRI), and viscosity all exceeded the standard values for all standard quality classifications.