Theoretical study of the impact aimed at improving the efficiency of fiber cleaning

Since cotton cleaning in Uzbekistan is carried out mainly manually, this paper discusses the methods and technologies established in the process of cleaning cotton and fiber. The process of fiber cleaning is one of the important processes that complete the technological process of cotton processing, given that the quality of fiber largely depends on the efficiency of this process, the research work on the mechanization of the type of collection and improving the efficiency of its cleaning is analyzed. In order to improve the efficiency of cleaning cotton collected on the machine, information is provided on the need to improve the equipment for cleaning fiber used in cotton gins. The research results are based on the need to replace a special structural device that guides the fiber to the correct tooth of the first sawtooth cylinder located on two drum cleaning plants. New fiber-cleaning equipment was installed in the Jizzakh regional JSC “Zarbdor cotton cleaning» and experimental tests were conducted in production conditions. In addition, the process of changing the pressure, density and speeds in the furnace and the effect of their cleaning efficiency has been modeled and theoretically analyzed, when the efficiency of cleaning the cotton fiber flow using a column system allows changing the raw material from 4 mm to 15 mm based on the device. By results of the conducted analysis it was shown that the increase of efficiency of purification depends on the device attached to the saw teeth, factor of the taxation of the distribution coefficient B and p 0 efficiency factor of increasing the initial pressure and coefficient of efficiency savings from the analysis of graphs, which present graphs of the distribution depending on the type of saw teeth. Based on the results of the research, recommendations are given for the widespread introduction of fiber cleaning equipment installed at enterprises of primary cotton processing, with the installation of a special structural guide device.

An Integrated Plastic Contamination Monitoring System for Cotton Module Feeders

Plastic contamination in US lint bales has increased with the adoption of new cotton harvesters that form cylindrical or round modules on the machine. It is of significant interest to the US cotton industry to reduce this contamination to preserve grower profitability and the reputation of the US as a reliable source of clean cotton fiber. The objective of this work is to describe the design and operation of a system for use on cotton gin module feeders that provides monitoring of plastic accumulation on the dispersing cylinders and video data to help document the module wrap condition and unloading/unwrapping procedures that may have caused the potential contamination event on the dispersing cylinders. In 2020, an integrated plastic contamination monitoring system was installed on module feeders at two commercial cotton gins in Texas. The system is comprised of sub-systems that provide images of plastic accumulation on the dispersing cylinders, a log of the processing sequence for round modules, video data of the unloading/unwrapping process for each module and a software program that integrates the data from the two sub-systems. The system was developed to operate on one computer, store the data in a common location, and simplify the process of extracting module specific data for a given event when plastic accumulates on the module feeder dispersing cylinders. The data provided by the system can be useful to manufacturers in comparing performance among module wrap products as well as to gin managers in training gin employees on module handling procedures to mitigate plastic contamination and improve worker safety.

Availability and Management of Cotton Byproducts in North Carolina: A State Survey

Whole cottonseed and cotton gin byproduct, also known as gin trash or cotton burrs, are known to be economical feed ingredients for beef cattle diets. There are several sources of information available to producers regarding the feeding of cotton byproducts; however, there is little information on the local supply chain and availability of these products. The objective was to survey cotton gins in North Carolina to determine how whole cottonseed and cotton gin byproduct are marketed. The 19-question survey was developed using Qualtrics survey software and emailed to all cotton gins in the state. Those who failed to respond to the weblink were contacted by phone. This resulted in a 73.5% response rate (n = 25 responses). Data were analyzed using the reporting feature of Qualtrics. On average, 7,716 metric tons of cottonseed and 1,523 metric tons of gin byproduct are produced per gin during a typical season. All respondents reported that the majority of their whole cottonseed is marketed out-of-state as livestock feed. All respondents reported that they either already sell or would consider selling cottonseed locally as cattle feed. In contrast, 78% of respondents reported that the majority of their gin byproduct stays in the state, with 40% being sold as cattle feed and the remaining 60% either being stockpiled and allowed to decompose on-site or used as compost. Of the respondents, 95% already sell gin byproduct locally as cattle feed or would consider doing so. The majority of respondents (92%) answered that they would like to be added to a directory to be distributed to cattle producers. This survey demonstrates that North Carolina cotton gins have cotton byproducts available and that they are interested in selling these locally to cattle producers.

Corporations

This chapter examines Article IX of the Oklahoma constitution, which concerns the powers, limits, and regulation of corporations. The prodigious length of the article reflects the importance of corporations in the economic life of Oklahoma, and the determination of the framers to bring them under regulatory control, to the point of micromanagement. Concern about discriminatory rates charged by railroads and pipelines was foremost, but the authority conferred by Article IX is broad enough to allow the legislature to regulate a variety of other enterprises as well, including electric, gas, and water companies; oil and natural gas production; and conservation, cotton gins, motor carriers, telephone and telegraph lines; and even ice plants. The framers borrowed freely from the constitutions and statutes of other states—especially the Virginia constitution, the Texas constitution, and the Texas Railway Act—as models for Article IX. Whole sections were often copied verbatim. Moreover, often competing strains of waning Populism and rising Progressivism of the early 1900s pervade this article.

Feasibility of an Adaptable Biorefinery Platform: Addressing the Delivery Scale Dilemma under Drought Risk

Conversion of biomass to electricity is often not economically feasible as a result of large transportation costs and low output prices. We build a model of an adaptable biorefinery situated at an agri-processing facility that already has biomass on-site and consider the optimal scale of the plant to achieve a price premium by selling peaking power given uncertain biomass deliveries year over year as a result of climatic variability. We find that, for conservative electricity prices, a plant situated near cotton gins in Texas could operate with positive expected net revenue while converting on average only 38% of available biomass for peak electricity prices.