Author
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Byler, Richard |
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Anthony, William |
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Submitted to: 2003 Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 1/17/2003 Publication Date: 3/10/2003 Citation: BYLER, R.K., ANTHONY, W.S. MEASUREMENT OF BALE MOISTURE CONTENT BASED ON BALE COMPRESSION PRESSURE. 2003 BELTWIDE COTTON CONFERENCE. 2003. CD ROM Interpretive Summary: Cotton gins often add moisture to lint before it is baled. In order that the gin add the proper amount of moisture and especially avoid adding too much moisture which will result in mold growth on the lint an automated, reliable and accurate measurement of the bale moisture content is needed. In this study commercially available components including a small inexpensive industrial control computer were used to predict the moisture content based on the volume and weight of the cotton bale with the pressure required to form the bale. Cotton lint samples were taken from 136 bales and compared to the readings from the experimental system. The lint moisture content ranged from 3.3 to 7.9 percent wet basis which is a sufficient range for use in a gin. The experimental system predicted the lint moisture content sufficiently accurately for moisture control in a gin. Technical Abstract: Proper control of the moisture content (mc) of ginned lint in commercial gins requires accurate moisture sensors. A microprocessor-based system that predicted the mc of lint in the bale based on the bale press geometry and the hydraulic pressure required to form the bale was installed in a new gin in Kansas. Predicted bale moisture values were compared to oven-based moisture values and the uncorrected standard error of the estimate was 0.40. The hydraulic pressure-press geometry method predicted lint moisture content sufficiently accurately for moisture control. |
