Minimizing Seed Cotton Loss from Field Cleaners

A.D. Brashears


 
ABSTRACT

Field experiments were conducted to determine (1) if seed cotton losses from a field cleaner increased as the cotton harvest season progressed and (2) could cotton losses be reduced by reversing the grid-bar grate on the reclaiming cylinder. Studies by Wilkes and Lalor (1983) indicated that replacement of the factory installed grate on the reclaiming cylinder with a modified 6 bar grate provided larger of openings between grid bars and increased trash removal efficiency. This modification to the field cleaners could be easily made and installed by the operators. Early reports were very favorable, but as the season progressed the amount of seed cotton lost by the field cleaner appeared to increase. Preliminary studies indicated that this increased loss might be overcome by reversing the modified grate. This change placed the wider grid openings toward the bottom of the grate instead of at the top.

Studies were conducted in 1984 and 1985 to determine if this change in grate orientation would reduce the amount of seed cotton lost by the field cleaner. The 1984 study included the factory installed gridbar arrangement, the Wilkes-Lalor modified grate and the reversed grate. The 1985 study only included the modified grate and the reversed modified grate. The tests were conducted on three harvest dates with the initial harvest immediately after the first frost and the last harvest in January when plant material was very dry. The tests were conducted as split-plot experiments with harvest dates as the main plots and harvest methods as subplots. Each test was replicated 3 times using the cotton variety GSA-71. After harvest the cotton was stored in woven polyethylene bags until it was ginned on 16-saw gin stand. Normal precleaning and 2 lint cleaners were used for each test.

The 1984 study indicated the amount of seed cotton removed by the field cleaner increased at the later harvest dates. Reversing the grate reduced the amount of seed cotton lost by the field cleaner at the last two harvest dates. The reversed grate lost more seed cotton at the first harvest date and did not remove as much foreign matter as the modified grate. This data also supported the improvements made by the Wilkes-Lalor modification in that 40% more foreign material was removed by the 6 bar grates.

In 1985 the loss of seed cotton by the field cleaner tended to decrease with harvest date. The reversed modified grate helped reduce the quantity of seed cotton lost by the field cleaner, but it did not significantly reduce the amount of foreign material removed as was the case in 1984.

These studies indicated that seed cotton losses may vary with harvest date, but the losses can be reduced by reversing the grid-bar grate on the reclaimer saw. This re-orientation may, however, reduce the efficiency of the field cleaner in some cases.



Reprinted from 1987 Proceedings: Beltwide Cotton Production Research Conferences pg. 166
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998