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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192512
Title: A NEW APPROACH TO ROLLER GINNING TO PRESERVE FIBER LENGTH

Author
item Armijo, Carlos
item VAN DOORN, DONALD - LUMMUS CORPORATION
item Hughs, Sidney
item GILLUM, MARVIS - RETIRED USDA-ARS

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2006
Publication Date: 6/9/2006
Citation: Armijo, C.B., Van Doorn, D.W., Hughs, S.E., Gillum, M.N. 2006. A new approach to roller ginning to preserve fiber length. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January 3-6, 2006, San Antonio, Texas. 2006 CDROM. p. 642-645.

Interpretive Summary: Excessive amounts of short fiber in upland cotton cause a less-desirable product and problems for the textile mill. Methods that preserve or improve fiber length must be found to protect the demand for the upland cotton and to alleviate problems and extra costs associated with spinning. Experimental components of a roller gin stand were tested to determine if they could help differentiate between the long and short fibers of upland cotton. Results from preliminary tests showed an unacceptable level of seed coat fragments in the fiber and broken seed in the cottonseed. More knowledge is needed about the how the major components of a roller gin stand interact with each other. A cotton bale with a predominant amount of long fiber may benefit the producer by bringing a higher price and creating new markets for a higher-quality fiber. New markets may arise for bales that contain only short fiber.

Technical Abstract: A study was initiated to determine if roller ginning can differentiate between the long and short fibers of upland cotton. Separating the longer fibers may not only bring a higher price, but open up new markets for a higher-quality fiber. Also, new markets may arise for bales that contain only shorter fiber (although at a reduced price). Preliminary tests showed that smaller-than-standard diameter 4- and 8-blade rotary knives generated an unacceptable amount of seed meats and seed coat fragments in the lint, and resulted in very slow ginning rates. Standard-diameter rotary knives with an 8- and 10-blade configuration ginned at standard rate, but the 10-blade knife generated seed coat fragments. Future work includes developing high-speed photographic techniques that better examine the process that occurs just prior to and at the ginning point, and investigating the relationship between diameter, number of blades, and speed of the rotary knife.