Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To investigate lint cleaning technologies with the goal of preserving fiber quality. Approach (from AD-416) Prior lint cleaning research has concentrated on saw-type cleaners with grid bars. It is well documented that this type of lint cleaning, while excellent at removing foreign material, reduces fiber length, and increases short fiber content and neps. This research will help identify the mechanisms through which cleaning occurs on the industry standard lint cleaner (saw-type lint cleaners) and help determine if particular changes to the design or new technologies will decrease fiber damage, while at least maintaining other important quality aspects at the levels that are currently seen with the saw-type lint cleaner. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations The objective of this study is to investigate lint cleaning technologies, with the goal of preserving fiber quality. The long-term goal of the project is to clean fiber and maintain fiber quality as well as or better than current technology, and reduce neps and short fiber content. Work on the project progressed in several areas, including: identification of lint cleaning mechanisms, quantification of lint cleaning affects on lint trash size, and exploration and evaluation of new lint cleaning technologies. First, high speed video equipment with 4000 to 8000 frames per second capability was used to capture high speed videos of gin machinery. The videos have given USDA and Texas A&M University researchers a better understanding of the mechanics of foreign matter removal in lint cleaners and have provided valuable gin machinery illustration and teaching tools. Second, high resolution scans of over 400 lint samples from commercial gins were taken and processed with the USDA-ARS SWCGRL developed CottonEye software to determine the effect of lint cleaning on the particle size distribution of trash in the samples. Third, an innovative grid bar for saw-type lint cleaners was designed. The grid bar utilizes an air knife at the tip, instead of the sharp point of the grid bar, to accomplish the scrubbing action to remove trash and cushion the fiber to reduce fiber breakage. Finally, the pneumatic fractionator, used by the USDA Gin Labs to process seed cotton for foreign matter content, was evaluated as an air lint cleaner. The initial exploratory tests showed that while the fractionator maintained fiber quality parameters such as length, short fiber content, and nep count at levels similar to those of no lint cleaning, the fractionator cleaned lint and produced color measurements similar to one saw-type lint cleaner. Gains made and results obtained in all four areas were encouraging, and work will continue in the upcoming year.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To investigate lint cleaning technologies with the goal of preserving fiber quality. Approach (from AD-416) Prior lint cleaning research has concentrated on saw-type cleaners with grid bars. It is well documented that this type of lint cleaning, while excellent at removing foreign material, reduces fiber length, and increases short fiber content and neps. This research will help identify the mechanisms through which cleaning occurs on the industry standard lint cleaner (saw-type lint cleaners) and help determine if particular changes to the design or new technologies will decrease fiber damage, while at least maintaining other important quality aspects at the levels that are currently seen with the saw-type lint cleaner. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This report serves to document progress made under a Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Cotton Inc. This agreement is a continuation of the work under a earlier agreement ending 31 December 2006 with the same name. Additional details can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 6235-41000-006-00D, Ginning and Processing Research to Enhance Quality, Profitability, Textile Utility of Western Cottons. The objective of this study is to investigate lint cleaning technologies with the goal of preserving fiber quality. The long-term goal of the project is to realize the "Dream": To clean fiber and maintain fiber quality as well as or better than current technology, and reduce neps and short fiber content. Researchers took high-speed video of the machinery in the ARS Cotton Ginning Research Unit�s MicroGin in Stoneville, MS, including: full-views of the incline cleaner, stick machine, impact cleaner, trashmaster cleaner, extractor feeder, gin stand, and saw-type lint cleaner; close-up views of the gin stand ginning point and brush/saw contact point; and close-up views of the lint cleaner feed bar and grid bars. Due to industry interest in the high-speed gin machinery videos several copies of video clips have been distributed. The video clips have proved useful at all three National Cotton Council Gin Schools as teaching aids, visual aids for technical presentations, and were used by researchers working on developing models to describe lint/machinery interactions. Work was begun acquiring images with proprietary image software developed by the ARS Unit to determine how cleaning effects trash particle size distribution. Also, preliminary tests to clean ginned lint samples with a seed-cotton fractionator were conducted with initial results showing that considerable cleaning can be achieved with less fiber damage than normal saw-type lint cleaning. Communications between Cotton Inc. and the ARS unit occurs through quarterly reports and weekly correspondence via email or telephone.
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