Theoretical Foundations of Cotton and Fiber Moistening Techniques and Technologies

The article discusses the theoretical foundations of techniques and technologies for moistening cotton and fiber, properties of cotton as an object of moistening, moistening agents, technologies and techniques of moistening, as well as the influence of moistening points on the moistening process in the technological process. Based on the theoretical analysis of cotton and fiber, formulas for determining water consumption for moistening and characterizing the kinetics of moistening are recommended. The laws of motion of a water droplet condensed on the cotton surface during pneumatic transportation, the conditions for its separation or movement on the surface, as well as the relationships between air velocity, droplet diameter, mass, and the time of droplet separation from the surface were obtained. Despite the developed numerous methods of moistening cotton and fiber at a number of points in the technological processes of cotton ginning enterprises, currently moistening mainly occurs after the cotton cleaning flow, in the fiber condenser trough and during the pressing process, however, despite this, plastic hard layers and yellow spots remain in the fiber bales delivered to spinning mills. The reasons for this were studied and moistening points and an optimal moistening agent were recommended. To clarify the causes of the noted shortcomings as a result of research conducted at cotton ginning enterprises, the theoretical foundations of the cotton moistening process were considered. The steam consumption that can be used for moistening was determined through formulas for determining the condensation coefficient, critical steam supercooling, and moistening efficiency.