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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #105300
Title: MODIFICATIONS TO IMPROVE BUR EXTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

Author
item Brashears, Alan

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: BRASHEARS, A.D. MODIFICATIONS TO IMPROVE BUR EXTRACTOR PERFORMANCE. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BELTWIDE COTTON CONFERENCE. 1999. V. 2. P. 1427-1429.

Interpretive Summary: Replacement of lay-down bars with brushes in bur extractors on cotton strippers reduces the incidence of fires in seed cotton, but the effect on cleaning efficiency and seed cotton loss was unknown. A stationary, mounted belt-fed bur extractor was used to conduct laboratory tests to compare the effects of the lay-down bar and the brush on cleaning efficiency and seed cotton loss. Significantly less burs, sticks, fine trash, and total trash was removed when the bar was replaced with a brush, thus reducing cleaning efficiency and increasing seed cotton loss. Reducing cleaning efficiency results in increased ginning costs and thus reduced profits for the producer. Improved brush designs will be necessary to increase cleaning efficiency, reduce seed cotton loss, and maintain the advantage the brush has in reducing the incidence of fires in seed cotton.

Technical Abstract: Cotton strippers equipped with field extractors have experienced a high incidence of fires in seed cotton. To help alleviate this problem the lay- down bar on the top saw cylinder of the field extractor has been replaced with a brush. There have been indications that the brush has been effective in reducing these fires, but its effect on cleaning efficiency and seed cotton has not been determined. This study was conducted to determine the effect on cleaning efficiency and seed cotton loss by replacing the lay- down bar on the top saw cylinder with a brush. Total foreign matter increased 11.9% when the brush was used, while bur content increased 14.3%, stick content increased 22.6%, and fine trash increased 6.2%. Seed cotton removed with foreign matter increased 41.5% when the brush was used. Replacing the lay-down bar with the brush had the greatest effect on sticks and the least effect on fine trash. The largest effect on foreign matter removal by weight was on burs with 32 lb/bale less burs being removed when the brush was used.