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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #235654
Title: Bale Bagging Properties and Rate of Cotton Bale Weight Change during Storage

Author
item Byler, Richard
item JORDAN, ANDREW - RETIRED-NATL CTN COUNCIL

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2009
Publication Date: 5/18/2009
Citation: Byler, R.K., Jordan, A.G. 2009. Bale Bagging Properties and Rate of Cotton Bale Weight Change during Storage. In: Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conference. National Cotton Council, January 5-8, 2009, San Antonio, TX. CD ROM p. 593-606.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton is placed in bagging soon after it is ginned and then is stored until needed at a mill. The cotton bales will change weight as the cotton fibers change moisture content because of the moisture content of the air in the storage environment. The rate of moisture change is related to the properties of the bale bagging. The cotton moisture content affects not only the bale weight but also the fiber properties so both the buyer and seller have an interest in understanding the changes. Traditionally the bagging materials were very permeable, but more recently less permeable materials have been used. This study examined the properties of samples of bale bagging using a standard moisture transmission method. The results of this portion of the study were compared to previous data on the rate of the bale weight change using the same bagging. The examination of properties of bale bagging using samples is much less time consuming and expensive than the study of the bale weight change, so the establishment of a method of predicting bale weight changes based on bale bagging properties would be beneficial to the industry. This report provides evidence that the relationship can be established, shows an estimate of the relationship, and provides guidance of a method of establishing an acceptable relationship.

Technical Abstract: A total of 83 specimens of bale bagging material, which had been used previously in studies of whole bale on the effect these bale bagging materials have on bale weight change, were tested for water vapor transmission rate (WVT). These materials included fully coated woven polypropylene with and without holes made in them as well as linear low-density polyethylene with and without holes, all as prepared by the manufacturer. The ASTM E96 procedure was used and the weight data was fit well with a straight line. The materials covered a wide range in WVT. The resulting WVT data were combined to estimate the transmission rate for the entire exposed area of the bag used in measurement of the bale weight change half time, determined in previous work. The WVT data of bagging materials agreed well with the bale weight change rate obtained previously. This approach shows promise of being a more rapid and lower priced method which will assist manufacturers in testing of bagging materials which will allow them to better meet the requirements of the industry.