Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #119450
Title: ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF A DRYING MODEL FOR USE IN THE DESIGN OF STARCH COATED SEED COTTON DRYERS

Author
item Pelletier, Mathew
item Laird, Joseph - Weldon
item Barker, Gary
item PATANKAR, SUHAS - INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, INC.

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2001
Publication Date: 10/15/2001
Citation: Pelletier, M.G., Laird, J.W., Barker, G.L., Patankar, S.V. Analysis and design of a drying model for use in the design of starch coated seed cotton dryers. The Journal of Cotton Science. 2001. v. 5. p. 234-242.

Interpretive Summary: The development of a process to coat cottonseed has led to new markets for cottonseed. The new product, EASIflo cottonseed, is much easier in handling and transportation than the traditional gin-run cottonseed where the cottonseed tends to bridge over in storage bins. This bridging tendency forces special handling procedures which costs the industry a transportation premium as compared to other grain commodities such as whea and corn. One of the enabling technologies that has allowed it to be brought to commercial test-bed stage is the development of the drying process. The dryer that is currently being used in the process still requires improvement in order to optimize the energy efficiency and to increase throughput. Both of these items will bring increased revenue to the producer and will thereby help to improve the wide spread use of this technology. Current new techniques in computational fluid dynamics has enhanced the ability to model complex processes such as the drying of starch coated cottonseed. This research presents both the analysis and development of a model for use in the design of high temperature tunnel dryers, as well as experimental data that was needed to generate a useful model that could accurately predict the drying process. The model developed by this research will be used to redesign the two experimental commercial test-bed facilities that are currently running, as well as to improve the state of the art for the next generation plants that are now coming on-line as well as future facilities.

Technical Abstract: This paper presents the development of a model for analysis and design of high temperature tunnel dryers to be utilized for the new cotton ginning by-product EASIflo cottonseed (starch coated cottonseed). This new product is now coming on-line as a viable value-added product for the cotton ginning industry. Currently there is little information in the way of engineering parameters needed to design the dryers that are an essential component in the process of making the EASIflo starch coated cottonseed. The cost of running the dryers constitutes the bulk of the expense of creating the product EASIflo cottonseed. Optimizing the drying process will significantly enhance the profitability of this operation. A mathematical computational fluid dynamic model is presented to model the drying process that is utilized in the process. This model provides a tool by which to optimize the design of commercial dryers that are currently in place and those soon to come on-line.