Location: Cotton Ginning Research
Title: Detection of plastic and oily contamination in seed cotton at the gin using infra-redAuthor
Baker, Kevin | |
RAYSON, GARY - New Mexico State University | |
JIANG, WEN-BIN - New Mexico State University | |
Whitelock, Derek | |
Hughs, Sidney |
Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2015 Publication Date: 5/11/2015 Citation: Baker, K.D., Rayson, G., Jiang, W., Whitelock, D.P., Hughs, S.E. 2015. Detection of plastic and oily contamination in seed cotton at the gin using infra-red. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. 981-989. Interpretive Summary: Plastic and oily foreign materials in bales of cotton lint pose problems to spinning and textile mills in the form of decreased productivity and products with inferior quality. Detecting and removing this plastic and oily foreign material at the gin is a long term goal of the cotton industry. A study was undertaken to determine if use of infra-red radiation technology could lead to detection of plastic and oily foreign materials in seed cotton and cotton lint. Results in the laboratory with very small samples were promising. Further testing was undertaken to continue the process of verifying if this technology could be used in a cotton gin. Technical Abstract: Plastic and oily foreign material in bales of cotton lint poses problems to spinning and textile mills in the form of decreased productivity and products with inferior quality. Detecting and removing this plastic and oily foreign material at the gin is a long term goal of the cotton industry. In this study, an infra-red (IR) spectrometer was used to determine the transmission of infra-red radiation in the 2.5 to 25 micron wavelength range through seed cotton and fourteen commonly occurring plastic and oily contaminants. Significant differences were noted. Results were simulated using an IR light source and commercially-available filters that allow infra-red light to pass in the ranges of 3.03, 3.44, 4.35, and 6.68 microns. Simulated results were promising and further verification testing is underway. A method of applying this knowledge in a cotton gin was conceptualized. |