Location: Cotton Ginning Research
Title: Changes in properties of cotton gin byproducts during windrow compostingAuthor
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Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2024 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Composting of cotton gin byproducts (CGB) in static or windrow piles is a common practice in the cotton (ginning) industry. However, there is very limited documentation of the transformation of nutrient and physical properties during the composting process. This study was conducted to assess the changes in physical and compositional properties of CGB when gins compost CGB in static/windrow piles. Depending on the density of the materials, six to nine tons of CGB were sourced from four gins in four US Cotton-Belt states (AR, MO, MS, and TN). The materials were unloaded into windrow piles that were approximately 10 m long, and sensors were immediately installed to continuously monitor compost temperature and moisture at multiple depths, at three sampling points on each pile. A weather station also tracked environmental factors near the piles. CGB samples were collected monthly and analyzed for chemical composition and other properties relevant to supplementing soil nutrients and animal feeds. The results will aid in predicting nutrient transformations during CGB composting, as well as handling and selecting CGB composts for subsequent treatment and utilization. |
