AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACCURACY OF HVI COLOR/TRASH METERS FOR USE IN GINS

Authors: Byler, Richard; Anthony, William

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: Gin process control systems adjust gin equipment while ginning to increase financial returns to the farmers. To do this, the system evaluates the quality of the cotton during processing. The sensors used in the past to measure reflectance (Rd), yellowness (+b), and trash content (percent area)are no longer commercially available. Thus, sensors of a new design from a different manufacturer were tested at the U.S. Cotton Ginning Laboratory to determine how well they would work under ginning conditions. It was found that 1) an ambient temperature range of 11C (20F) from the reference temperature gave acceptable data, 2) the drift with time of Rd and +b was low and no drift of trash readings was measured, 3) vibration had no adverse effect on the measurements, 4) no differences in measurements of color or trash occurred between the gin based equipment and the reference laboratory when the samples were presented manually, 5) Rd and percent area were consistently lower for automated sampling, and 6) +b was not different for automated sampling than for samples measured at the reference laboratory. In short, these tests showed that the gin process control systems would work well with the new sensors. The sensors allow the control system to operate the gin to provide greater monetary return to the farmer than without control.

Technical Abstract: Color and trash meters, similar to those used in the high volume instrument (HVI) system, were installed in the microgin at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), U. S. Cotton Ginning Laboratory, Stoneville, MS. Cotton color (Rd and +b) and trash measurements from these meters were compared to data obtained at a USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Cotton Division, Cotton Classing Office (CO). Data were compared for ceramic tiles, stationary cotton (such as is done at the CO), and cotton samples obtained automatically while ginning. Temperature changes and vibration of the measurement heads were added to further simulate conditions in the gin. Results indicated that 1) an ambient temperature range of 11C (20F) from the reference temperature gave acceptable data, 2) the drift with time of Rd and +b was low and no drift of trash readings was measured, 3) vibration had no adverse effect on the measurements, 4) no differences in measurements of color or trash occurred between the gin based equipment and the classing office when the samples were presented manually, 5) Rd and percent area were consistently lower for automated sampling, and 6) +b was not different for automated sampling than for samples measured at the CO.