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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #223721
Title: INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUE TO EVALUATE LINT CLEANER GRID BAR DESIGNS

Author
item Armijo, Carlos
item Whitelock, Derek
item BARNES, EDWARD - COTTON, INC.
item GILLUM, MARVIS - RETIRED USDA-ARS

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2008
Publication Date: 5/29/2008
Citation: Armijo, C.B., Whitelock, D.P., Barnes, E.M., Gillum, M.N. 2008. Innovative technique to evaluate lint cleaner grid bar designs. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference, January 8-11, 2008, Nashville, TN. 2008 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary: It is difficult to view the action that occurs between fast moving parts of cotton gin equipment such as the saw-type lint cleaner and cleaning grid bars. Using a high-tech, high-speed video camera, action was captured that showed a fiber bundle and seed coat fragment attached to a rotating disk whipping across model-sized experimental lint cleaner grid bars. The videos showed that many parameters are involved in removing a seed coat fragment from a bundle fiber such as the distance between the saw and edge of the grid bar, the distance between the saw and the seed coat, the size and weight of the fiber bundle and seed coat, and the shape of the grid bar. Future studies will test the effectiveness of removing seed coat fragments using full-sized experimental grid bars.

Technical Abstract: Photographic techniques were used to show the path that fibers attached to a gin saw take as they are drawn over a lint cleaner cleaning grid bar. A 1979 study showed that fibers were swept backwards, closer to the saw, as saw speed increased. The angle between the tip of the saw tooth and the fibers ranged from 55' at 1060 rpm to 73.5' at 2000 rpm, but there were no clear relationships between angles and saw speed. A 1988 study showed that fibers attached to a gin saw formed a "z" shape as they were drawn over a grid bar. The fiber slid about 4.8 mm (3/16 in) down the back side of the grid bar when forming the "z". The length of the "z" shape of fibers was dependent on the density of the fiber bundle. A 1991 study showed in a triple exposure photograph the action of a fiber bundle and seed coat fragment attached to a rotating disk hitting a lint cleaner grid bar. The photograph showed the seed coat fragment being ginned off of the fiber bundle, but the photographic technique was cumbersome. A 2007 study used a high-speed video camera to show a fiber bundle and seed coat fragment attached to a rotating disk whipping across model-sized experimental lint cleaner grid bars. The angle that the fiber bundle curves back towards the disk decreased due to the attached seed coat. The videos showed that many parameters are involved in removing a seed coat fragment from a bundle fiber such as the distance between the saw and edge of the grid bar, the distance between the saw and the seed coat, the size and weight of the fiber bundle and seed coat, and the shape of the grid bar. The high-speed video camera greatly simplified viewing the action that occurs at the edge of a lint cleaner grid bar. Future studies will test the effectiveness of removing seed coat fragments using full-sized experimental grid bars.