Application of a resistance moisture meter to HVI strength measurements

摘要

A series of four studies were conducted with the assistance of two U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service offices to determine the range of fiber moisture encountered in cotton classing and to examine the potential of usingon-line moisture readings to assist with fiber strength readings. These studies showed that the meter could be used with the existing high volume instrument (HVI) cotton classing equipment and that the measured moisture content (m.c.) correlated with theHVI strength, as it should. The first study, conducted at the Memphis Quality Control Section, demonstrated the usefulness of the resistance moisture meter and showed a strong relationship between measured m.c. and HVI strength. The second study wasconducted at the Greenwood, Mississippi, Classing Office (CO) during the regular classing season to determine if the meter could operate under CO production conditions and determine the range of moisture contents which must be measured. The meterfunctioned well during the classing season. The measured m.c. of cotton samples was found to have a greater range than expected during classing and was directly proportional to the HVI strength. Ninety four percent of the samples were within the range of6.3 to 7.6 wet basis (w.b.) but the entire observed range was 5.8 to 10.0 w.b. The third study was conducted at the Greenwood CO on samples prepared at the U.S. Cotton Ginning Laboratory, USDA, ARS, Stoneville, Mississippi, and ginned under severalmoisture treatments. Ginning machines and post-ginning moisture treatment affected the fiber m.c. relatively little, but a significant reduction in strength was attributed to ginning at m.c. below 7 w.b. The fourth study was conducted at the Greenwood CO where samples were subjected to nonstandard moisture conditions and then HVI classed. This study showed that even when the m.c. variation measured by the experimental meter was low (0.3 w.b.) there was a measurable effect on HVI strength. All fourstudies resulted in a significant correlation between the measured m.c. and the measured HVI strength showing that the resistance moisture meter is a promising addition to the HVI classing line.