Measuring the moisture content of cotton bales is an important step in controlling the quality of cotton produced and sold around the world. A non-contact microwave-based bale moisture meter, the Vomax 851-B （Vomax I...Measuring the moisture content of cotton bales is an important step in controlling the quality of cotton produced and sold around the world. A non-contact microwave-based bale moisture meter, the Vomax 851-B （Vomax Instrumentation through Samuel Jackson, Lubbock, TX） has been commercially available but independent verification of these measurements has not been available. This new commercial meter was examined at a commercial facility using both laboratory produced bales and actual commercially produced bales. In the laboratory phase, bales were prepared by the Cotton Ginning Research Unit for measurement on the commercial instrument as well as by the oven reference method; the potential effects of bale orientation and bale packaging were also studied with these samples. The commercial phase involved collecting lint samples from 50 bales, over 5 days, during the 2007 ginning season. The collected bale samples were tested by the oven reference method for moisture content and those readings were compared to the microwave-based meter readings for moisture content. Moisture content, as measured, covered a wide range from 4.2% to 7.2 %, wet basis. The Vomax measurements tracked variation in bale moisture content and correlated well with the reference method; however the measurements showed higher moisture content than determined by the oven method. The Vomax 851-B shows potential to provide a reliable cotton bale moisture content for use in controlling the moisture content for commercial ginning of cotton.展开更多
An experimental system was developed to simulate the pneumatic flow arrangement found in picker-type cotton harvesters.The simulation system was designed and constructed for testing a prototype cotton yield monitor de...An experimental system was developed to simulate the pneumatic flow arrangement found in picker-type cotton harvesters.The simulation system was designed and constructed for testing a prototype cotton yield monitor developed at Mississippi State University.The simulation system was constructed to approximate the pneumatic cotton flow system of a cotton picker,and was capable of operating with varying cotton flow rates.The simulator was tested with different cotton flow rates,and the relationship between feeder rate and amount of conveyed seed cotton was found to be consistent.Further,the simulator was used to conduct tests with the novel optical cotton yield monitor,which proved accurate at measuring the amount of seed cotton flowing through the simulator.Finally,some differences between laboratory testing and field-testing were noted:seed cotton becomes fluffed and twisted when recycled through the simulator,and seed cotton stored in the laboratory tends to be of lower moisture content than cotton during harvest.These differences should be considered when using a laboratory simulator to test cotton yield monitors.展开更多
文摘Measuring the moisture content of cotton bales is an important step in controlling the quality of cotton produced and sold around the world. A non-contact microwave-based bale moisture meter, the Vomax 851-B （Vomax Instrumentation through Samuel Jackson, Lubbock, TX） has been commercially available but independent verification of these measurements has not been available. This new commercial meter was examined at a commercial facility using both laboratory produced bales and actual commercially produced bales. In the laboratory phase, bales were prepared by the Cotton Ginning Research Unit for measurement on the commercial instrument as well as by the oven reference method; the potential effects of bale orientation and bale packaging were also studied with these samples. The commercial phase involved collecting lint samples from 50 bales, over 5 days, during the 2007 ginning season. The collected bale samples were tested by the oven reference method for moisture content and those readings were compared to the microwave-based meter readings for moisture content. Moisture content, as measured, covered a wide range from 4.2% to 7.2 %, wet basis. The Vomax measurements tracked variation in bale moisture content and correlated well with the reference method; however the measurements showed higher moisture content than determined by the oven method. The Vomax 851-B shows potential to provide a reliable cotton bale moisture content for use in controlling the moisture content for commercial ginning of cotton.
文摘An experimental system was developed to simulate the pneumatic flow arrangement found in picker-type cotton harvesters.The simulation system was designed and constructed for testing a prototype cotton yield monitor developed at Mississippi State University.The simulation system was constructed to approximate the pneumatic cotton flow system of a cotton picker,and was capable of operating with varying cotton flow rates.The simulator was tested with different cotton flow rates,and the relationship between feeder rate and amount of conveyed seed cotton was found to be consistent.Further,the simulator was used to conduct tests with the novel optical cotton yield monitor,which proved accurate at measuring the amount of seed cotton flowing through the simulator.Finally,some differences between laboratory testing and field-testing were noted:seed cotton becomes fluffed and twisted when recycled through the simulator,and seed cotton stored in the laboratory tends to be of lower moisture content than cotton during harvest.These differences should be considered when using a laboratory simulator to test cotton yield monitors.
