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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #401108

Research Project: Improving the Production and Processing of Western and Long-Staple Cotton and Companion Crops to Enhance Quality, Value, and Sustainability

Location: Cotton Ginning Research

Title: Progress report: Cryogenically treated gin saws

Author
item Whitelock, Derek
item FUNK, PAUL
item Thomas, Joseph
item Armijo, Carlos
item Holt, Gregory
item Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2023
Publication Date: 1/11/2023
Citation: Whitelock, D.P., Funk, P.A., Thomas, J.W., Armijo, C.B., Holt, G.A., Tumuluru, J. 2023. Progress report: Cryogenically treated gin saws. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference, Jan. 10-12, 2023, New Orleans, LA. p. 727.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Gin saw wear reduces processing rate and profitability; replacing gin saws is costly and further reduces processing rate. Deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) has extended the useful life of parts in other industries. We quantified the difference that DCT made on cotton gin saw wear over three seasons on a pair of Lummus Imperial III 170 saw gin stands in a commercial gin by measuring changes in weight, thickness, tooth profile area, and percent of teeth bent and broken for both 0.036 and 0.045 thick gin saws. The number of bent and broken teeth with DCT were 41% compared to untreated saws for the 0.036 thick, and about half for the 0.045 thick saws. Differences in mass loss were about 2% between treatments. Decrease in saw thickness due to wear with DCT was 88% of that with no treatment, and tooth profile area loss with DCT was 64% of the area lost with untreated saws.