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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 #121090
Title: EVALUATION OF POWERED ROLL GIN STAND FOR SEED COTTON

Author
item Laird, Joseph - Weldon
item Holt, Gregory
item LALOR, BILL - COTTON INCORPORATED

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2001
Publication Date: 3/15/2001
Citation: LAIRD, J.W., HOLT, G.A., LALOR, W.F. EVALUATION OF POWERED ROLL GIN STAND FOR SEED COTTON. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BELTWIDE COTTON CONFERENCES. JOINT COTTON ENGINEERING-SYSTEMS AND COTTON GINNING CONFERENCES. CD-ROM. MEMPHIS, TN: NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL OF AMERICA. 2001. V. 2. P. 1377-1380.

Interpretive Summary: Research that evaluated the new powered paddle roll gin stand as the primary ginning device for seed cotton showed that it is capable of getting all of the long lint into the bale at high ginning rates. The results showed that the experimental gin stand removed five to seven percent more lint from the seeds than a modern high capacity gin stand. The gin stand gave approximately 25 to 35 more pounds of lint from the seed cotton per standard 480 pound bale. At prevailing cotton prices of about 65 cents per pound, this would be $16.00 to $22.75 more return per bale for the producer. Results also showed about a one half staple length increase from the experimental gin stand in a side by side ginning comparison with a modern high capacity gin stand. The average staple length improvement attained is worth approximately 1.5 cents per pound based on spot market prices, adding an additional $7.50 to the bale value. With an average 17 million bale crop, this is 457 million dollars per year more income for US cotton producers.

Technical Abstract: Research at the USDA-ARS ginning laboratory at Lubbock, Texas developed a new saw gin stand with a powered paddle roll turning the seed roll and rotating seed fingers regulating seed discharge. This gin produced up to 2.2 percent points higher turnout from the seed cotton compared to a modern high capacity gin stand. This yields approximately 7 percent more lint (35 pounds per bale) from the seed cotton. Fiber quality data from several tests shows the experimental gin produces slightly better staple length. The new gin stand has higher production rates per unit width and uses less power for ginning. Higher turnout and better fiber length will substantially benefit cotton producers. A cooperative research and development program has been initiated to investigate a number of gin stand design factors that were found to affect gin performance and cotton yield and quality. A patent was obtained through the USDA-ARS patent division for the paddle roll gin stand (U. S. Patent number 6,061,875).