Design, construction, and testing of a cotton gin.

Date

1991

Abstract

This study aimed to design, construct and test a cotton gin that could be fabricated at local machine shops using locally-available materials. An experimental model of the cotton gin was designed, fabricated and tested at Batac, Ilocos Norte. The response of the three design parameters (independent variables) on eight ginning performance parameters (dependent variables) and the machine?s optimal operating condition were determined. Test results showed that the ginning rib significantly affected the machine?s ginning capacity, ginning recovery and ginning efficiency as well as the quality of the cottonseeds produced. The pitch angle of the saw teeth significantly affected the machine?s ginning efficiency and the quality of the fibers and cottonseeds produced. On the other hand, the saw speed significantly affected all of the dependent variables except the fiber strength. Considering the different combinations of the independent variables tested, the optimal operating condition of the designed machine as determined using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was at a teeth pitch angle of -60 degrees combined with the second rib design (RD-2) and a saw speed of 160 RPM. Limits for the saw speeds and teeth pitch angles within the machine?s optimal operating condition were defined. At optimal operating condition, the designed machine?s ginning capacity, ginning recovery and ginning efficiency were 0.54 kg seedcotton/hr/saw, 39.97% and 99.96%, respectively. The average length, uniformity ratio and strength of the fibers (UPL-C2 variety) were 27.13 mm (medium-long staple), 46.74% (high) and 19.14 g/tex (average strength), respectively. On the other hand, the average fuzz content and the amount of damaged cottonseeds were 11.21% and 2.03%, respectively. The designed cotton gin gave a significantly higher ginning recovery and lesser amount of injured cottonseeds compared with existing saw gins. On the other hand, its ginning recovery was comparable with and its amount of injured seeds relatively higher than the existing roller gins. The three ginning machines (designed, saw and roller gins) performed comparably in terms of the other parameters such as ginning efficiency, fiber length, fiber strength, uniformity ratio and cottonseed fuzz content. The ginning capacity of the designed cotton gin, however, was inferior to that of the existing ones but this could be compensated by adding of more ginning saws.

Document Type

Master Thesis

Language

English

LC Subject

Cotton gins and ginning

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 995 1991 A2 O75

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