Assessing a pneumatic fractionator as a lint cleaning device

Authors: Armijo, Carlos; Whitelock, Derek; Hughs, Sidney

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/2015
Publication Date: 7/31/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61708
Citation: Armijo, C.B., Whitelock, D.P., Hughs, S.E. 2015. Assessing a pneumatic fractionator as a lint cleaning device. Journal of Cotton Science. 19:307-318.

Interpretive Summary: The common saw-type lint cleaner with grid bars is efficient at removing foreign material from ginned lint, but it reduces fiber length and increases short fiber and nep content. A pneumatic fractionator has traditionally been used as a standard method to determine foreign matter content in seed cotton, but its simplicity of not having any moving or fiber-damaging machine parts may be useful in cleaning ginned lint. In a study that assessed a pneumatic fractionator as a lint cleaning device, results showed that higher line pressure and longer fractionation time produced fiber that was shorter in staple length, contained more neps, and had less dust, trash, and visible foreign matter (including leaf). All fractionator treatments had varying degrees of classer prep calls. Overall, the least aggressive treatment had the best fiber properties, and the most aggressive fractionator treatment did the most cleaning. When comparing the fractionator against a conventional saw-type lint cleaner, results showed that the fractionator did not preserve fiber length any better than conventional lint cleaning. The most aggressive fractionator treatment had the highest cleaning efficiency, largest amount of lint cleaner waste, and lowest bale value, and was more harmful to fiber than conventional lint cleaning. The least aggressive treatment had fiber properties similar to one saw-type lint cleaner. The highest bale value was achieved with either no lint cleaning or with the least aggressive fractionator treatment. Providing a more effective method of removing foreign matter from ginned lint would produce a higher quality fiber that would benefit the producer with a higher price, the textile mill with fewer manufacturing problems, and the consumer with a better quality product.

Technical Abstract: A study assessed a pneumatic fractionator as a lint cleaning device for ginned lint. Results from a test that used two line pressures and three fractionation times showed that higher line pressure and longer fractionation time produced fiber that was shorter in staple length, contained more neps, and had less dust, trash, and visible foreign matter (including leaf). Short fiber content was not different among fractionator treatments, and all treatments had varying degrees of classer prep calls. The fractionator was very effective in removing foreign matter. Overall, the least aggressive treatment had the best fiber properties, and the most aggressive fractionator treatment did the most cleaning. Results from a lint cleaning test that compared the least and most aggressive fractionator treatments with a conventional saw-type lint cleaner showed that the fractionator did not preserve fiber length any better than conventional lint cleaning. The most aggressive fractionator treatment was more effective in removing foreign matter, but had considerably more neps than conventional lint cleaning. The fractionator treatments contained prep calls and the conventional lint cleaner treatments did not. The most aggressive fractionator treatment was more harmful to fiber than conventional lint cleaning, and the least aggressive treatment had fiber properties similar to one saw-type lint cleaner. The most aggressive fractionator treatment had the highest cleaning efficiency, largest amount of lint cleaner waste, and lowest bale value. The highest bale value was achieved with either no lint cleaning or with the least aggressive fractionator treatment.