Performance of a Pin Cylinder Lint Cleaner

Abstract

Saw- type lint cleaners are efficient cleaners, but their aggressive nature also causes fiber damage and wastage. As the U. S. cotton market shifts to overseas where customers are interested in longer fiber with fewer neps and fiber damage, there was a renewed interest to re-evaluate the performance of a pin cylinder lint cleaner. A pin cylinder, because of its round pins, was expected to cause less damage to the fiber and create fewer neps in the process. A total of 48 runs with 3 replicates were conducted for the experiment. The four bi-level treatment factors evaluated in the experiment were: cleaner treatment ( pin or saw cylinder), cylinder speed, combing ratio, and cotton variety. Results from this study show that High Volume Instruments (HVI) properties produced by the pin and saw cylinder cleaners were not significantly different across the board except in percent trash area. Compared to the saw cylinder lint cleaner, the pin cylinder lint cleaner produced 3 kg/bale less in turnout, generated 1.8 kg/bale ( STV4892) more in cleaner waste, and cleaned at 11.1 percentage points higher in efficiency. The smooth body of the pins on the cylinder did not significantly decrease neps and short fiber content. In fact, bales produced by the pin-cylinder cleaner contained 44 more neps/g and 1.5 kg/bale more in short fiber.