Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: January 10, 1997
Publication Date: N/A
Interpretive Summary: Moisture is a very important component of cotton and affects every aspect of cotton harvesting and processing. Excessive moisture results in grade losses, fiber deterioration, and decreased machine performance while low moisture can cause fiber breakage and results in operating difficulties. Techniques and procedures were developed for determining the effects of temperature on moisture absorption rates for gin run (fuzzy) cotton seed at 68 and 95 deg F and for drying rates from 68 to 266 deg F. Temperature had definite effect on the drying rates of the gin run cotton seed. The data for the drying portion of the study were found to fit the theoretical falling rate function relatively well. The moisture absorption data showed evidences of metabolic activity after a few hours. This information will be used to estimate moisture content during cotton harvesting and ginning and to aid in the design of cotton conditioning equipment.
Technical Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of temperature on the drying rates of gin run cotton seed and to develop generalized relationships for drying cotton seed. Data showing moisture absorption and desorption rates for gin run cotton seed were collected. Absorption data was obtained for temperatures of 68 and 95 deg F and desorption values for temperatures ranging from 68 to 266 deg F. Generalized solutions were developed for the theoretical falling rate equation from the experimental data for the drying (desorption) data. The falling rate (exponential decay) function fit the data reasonably well, especially at temperatures above 212 deg F. The generalized solution of the falling rate equation was developed as a function of absolute temperature (deg R), which should be suitable for engineering calculations. Results indicate that moisture absorption by cotton seed undergoes two absorption phases. The first absorption phase appears to be physical in nature and approximates the curves of other biological materials. The second phase, which shows an increased moisture absorption rate after a leveling off period, may indicate increased metabolic activity.