Conventional and High-Speed Roller Ginning of Upland Cotton in Commercial Gins

Abstract

A conventional rotary-knife roller gin stand in a commercial ginning plant was converted to operate at high speed during the 2005 ginning season. Ginning rate on the high-speed stand was more than three times higher than a conventional roller gin stand. The ginning roller on the high-speed stand operated at normal temperature. A field test was conducted at the commercial ginning plant to compare roller ginning and saw ginning using one cultivar of upland cotton. The field test included the high-speed roller gin stand along with 11 conventional roller gin stands, and two saw gin stands. Fiber properties from the field test showed that HVI color grade, staple length, length uniformity, and fiber value were improved when using roller gin stands. Results from the 2006 California crop showed similar improvements in staple length and length uniformity when comparing roller-ginned upland cotton and saw-ginned upland cotton. Textile mills that value the significance of improved fiber properties were willing to pay a premium for roller-ginned upland cotton. Between 2005 and 2009, there were 48 roller gin stands converted to high speed, and 25 new high-speed roller gins sold. Life of the ginning roller on high-speed roller gin stands during 2006 was slightly less than conventional roller gin stands, but roller life improved in 2007-08 with use of variable frequency drives that may optimize ginning roller wear. Evaluation of high-speed roller ginning in commercial ginning plants will continue.