Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #119951
Title: TRASH PARTICLES IN SAMPLES OF GINNED COTTON

Author
item Anthony, William
item Baker, Roy
item Hughs, Sidney

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2001
Publication Date: 6/1/2001
Citation: Anthony, W.S., Baker Jr, R.V., Hughs, S.E. 2001. Trash particles in samples of ginned cotton. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. Volume 1:357-362

Interpretive Summary: Cleaning machinery used by textile mills is very effective at removing large trash particles from cotton but ineffective in removing small particles (less than 500 microns). Mill experts think that gin machinery, especially lint cleaners, creates small particles by subdividing large trash particles. These small trash particles reduce profits at textile mills. This study was conducted to quantify the impact of lint cleaners on the number and size of trash particles with emphasis on particles under 2000 microns. Results indicated that, contrary to popular belief, gin lint cleaners decrease the number of trash particles of all sizes. This finding will be used as a basis to investigate new machinery designed to remove small particles of trash at the gin. Success will ensure a higher quality yarn and increased mill profits.

Technical Abstract: Small particles of foreign matter have historically created problems at the textile mill. They are very difficult to remove without considerable fiber damage and weight loss. Cotton standards approved in 1986 for classing cotton worldwide contain large trash and small trash, depending on the reference grade. As a result of the perceived need to reduce the amount of small trash in the reference sample, seed cotton was collected from Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas and ginned at Stoneville, MS, on a common ginning system. A variable number of saw-type lint cleaners were used to achieve different amounts and types of trash in the ginned and cleaned samples. Dust (less than 500 microns) and trash (larger than 500 microns) particles in the cleaned lint were reduced dramatically by lint cleaning. The trash-related characteristics of the samples are reported. The samples were used as references during establishing proposed cotton standards for possible consideration at the next Universal Standards Conference.