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Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2011 Publication Date: 8/1/2011 Citation: Wanjura, J.D., Holt, G.A., Pelletier, M.G., Carroll, J.A. 2011. Influence of grid bar shape on field cleaner performance - Laboratory screening test. Journal of Cotton Science. 15(2):144-153. Interpretive Summary: Cotton stripper harvesters use on-board cleaning machines called field cleaners to remove foreign material from harvested seed cotton. The use of field cleaners helps producers financially by reducing the total weight of material transported to the gin from the field, improving gin processing rates, and improving final quality grades of ginned lint. Early research and development work on field cleaners identified the potential to increase cleaning performance through the use of internal grid bars with varying cross sectional shape. However, no studies were conducted to investigate the influence of grid bar shape on cleaning performance. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of grid bar shape on field cleaner performance in terms of cleaning efficiency, seed cotton loss, and fiber quality preservation. A commercial field cleaner was configured with twenty eight grid bar arrangements (one conventional and twenty-seven experimental) to evaluate the performance influence of experimental grid bar shapes under laboratory conditions. Results show that over half of the experimental configurations removed more foreign material from the cotton than the conventional configuration. Six of the experimental machine configurations exhibited both better cleaning performance and reduced seed cotton loss than the conventional configuration. Fiber analyses indicated that the experimental machine configurations did not damage the fibers more so than the conventional configuration. Two of the experimental machine configurations were selected based on the results of the laboratory screening tests for use in subsequent field scale evaluations. Technical Abstract: Extractor type cleaners are used on cotton strippers and in the seed cotton cleaning machinery in the ginning process to remove large foreign material such as burrs and sticks. Early research indicated that the shape of the grid bars used in extractors may influence the performance of these machines, but no study was conducted to specifically address this issue. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of grid bar cross sectional geometry on extractor performance with regard to foreign matter removal, seed cotton loss, and fiber quality preservation. Nine experimental grid bar geometries were evaluated against a conventional round grid bar geometry in twenty eight machine configurations. Results show that over half of the experimental machine configurations removed more foreign material from the burr cotton than the conventional configuration. Six of the experimental machine configurations exhibited both better cleaning performance and reduced seed cotton loss than the conventional configuration. AFIS and HVI fiber analyses indicated that the experimental machine configurations did not damage the fibers more so than the conventional configuration. Two of the experimental machine configurations were selected based on the results of the laboratory screening tests for use in field scale evaluations. The findings of this work confirm previous research in that a compromise must be reached when selecting the appropriate grid bar geometry for use in cotton stripper field cleaners based on foreign matter removal and seed cotton loss. |
