Cotton Cleanability

Abstract

Fiber breakage during harvesting, ginning, and cleaning associated with cotton bale production is modeled by applying controlled degrees of random breakage damage to an experimental extra long staple cotton substrate with a fiber length distribution approxi mating that found on shorter staple seed. Experimental fiber length data are taken from combed sliver subjected to cutting at various gauge lengths. As different levels of breakage are inflicted, the corresponding length distributions exhibit distinct trends. A theoretical fiber breakage model based on cutting is used to parameterize changes in the shape of the length distribution and to interpret the experimental results. Comparisons of experimental data with predictions from the theory suggest that certain systematic features of fiber length might be used to index the general degree of breakage that has occurred in a specific cotton sample with an unknown processing history.