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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #88328
Title: ESTIMATING LINT CLEANER WASTE FLOW-RATE

Author
item Whitelock, Derek
item Thomson, Steven

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/18/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The amount of waste generated during lint cleaning in a gin is estimated using factors developed from empirical data, but not actually measured concurrently with ginning. Without an accurate measuring device, ginners do not have a means to determine how changes made to the ginning process affect the amount of lint-cleaner-waste produced. A light-sensing device to measure the mass of lint-cleaner-waste flowing in the exhaust of cotton gin lint cleaners was evaluated in a small research gin. The device was then retrofitted, installed in the lint cleaner exhaust of a full-size commercial gin, and tested to determine its capabilities in measuring the amount of waste flowing through the duct. In the research gin, a strong relationship was exhibited between the light-sensing device's output and the flow of waste in the lint cleaner exhaust. The data justified further research with the device in a commercial gin. The amount of waste flowing through the lint cleaner exhaust for a known time period was measured well by the light-sensing device in the commercial gin. It was found that a good estimate of the amount of waste flowing through the ductwork could be calculated from the output of the device by a mathematical equation. The cotton ginning industry has been moving toward more automated control in the gin to minimize quality degradation and optimize profits. The ability to measure the amount of waste generated during lint cleaning will enhance the ginning process control capabilities leading to less waste at the gin, thus higher profits for farmers and more quality cotton for the textile mills.

Technical Abstract: Knowledge of the mass flow-rate of cotton and its by-products produced during ginning should improve process control. Tests of a previously developed device were conducted to evaluate its capabilities in measuring mass-flow of lint-cleaner-waste (LCW) in the lint-cleaner-exhaust of both a small research gin and a full-size, commercial gin. Results of regression analysis of data collected in the research gin revealed a good correlation (R2 = 0.88) between sensor output and actual mass flow-rate of LCW through the device. The sensor was then reconfigured and installed and tested in a commercial gin. Linear regression analysis revealed a high correlation (R2 = 0.95) between sensor output and the amount of LCW that passed through the device during tests in the commercial gin.