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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #279822
Title: Observing the motion of seed coat fragments on a saw-type lint cleaner

Author
item Armijo, Carlos
item Whitelock, Derek
item Hughs, Sidney
item BARNES, EDWARD - Cotton, Inc
item GILLUM, MARVIS - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2012
Publication Date: 4/27/2012
Citation: Armijo, C.B., Whitelock, D.P., Hughs, S.E., Barnes, E.M., Gillum, M. 2012. Observing the motion of seed coat fragments on a saw-type lint cleaner. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January 3-6, 2012, Orlando, Florida, p. 660-670.

Interpretive Summary: Seed Coat Fragments (SCFs) that remain in ginned lint reduce spinning efficiency at the textile mill, and ultimately affect the quality of finished goods. A study was conducted to observe how seed coat fragments (in ginned lint) reacted after colliding with grid bars mounted on a full-size saw-type lint cleaner. A high-speed video camera recorded the collision. A 45° and 105° grid bar were used in the study. The 105° grid bar was more effective than the 45° grid bar in removing SCFs. Eight percentage points more SCFs were removed by the 105° grid bar. SCFs that were removed had very few fibers attached, and velocity decayed to about one-half the saw speed before the SCF was removed. SCFs that were not removed had many fibers attached, and the velocity of the SCF decayed to zero before reversing direction as fibers still attached to the SCF pulled the SCF back to the edge of the grid bar. The clearance between the grid bar and lint cleaner saw or the position of the grid bar (1st or 2nd) did not have any effect on the number of SCFs removed. Reducing SCFs in ginned lint will provide the producer with a more profitable and desirable fiber.

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to observe how seed coat fragments (in ginned lint) reacted after colliding with grid bars mounted on a full-size saw-type lint cleaner. A high-speed video camera recorded the collision. A 45° and 105° grid bar were used in the study. The grid bars were labeled to describe the included angle from the sharp toe (or the clockwise angle from vertical) that the grid bar makes. The 45° grid bar resembled a conventional grid bar used in commercial lint cleaners. The 105° grid bar was an experimental design that had a second edge a short distance from the toe of the grid bar. The 105° grid bar was more effective than the 45° grid bar in removing seed coat fragments (SCFs). Eight percentage points more SCFs were removed by the 105° grid bar. SCFs that were removed had very few fibers attached, and velocity decayed to about one-half the saw speed before the SCF was removed. SCFs that were not removed had many fibers attached, and the velocity of the SCF decayed to zero before reversing direction as fibers still attached to the SCF pulled the SCF back to the edge of the grid bar. The clearance between the grid bar and lint cleaner saw or the position of the grid bar (1st or 2nd) did not have any effect on the number of SCFs removed.