Device for on-line heat detoxification of cotton in a gin
1995
Thomasson, J.A. | Rousselle, M.A.
Respiratory diseases occur in some textile mill workers who are exposed to cotton dust for long periods. Research has shown that endotoxins are present in cotton dust. Correlations between endotoxin content of cotton dust and pulmonary function of human volunteers exposed to the dust have been found. It has been shown that short-duration, high-temperature treatments of cotton can reduce the amount of endotoxin present in cotton dust. This report describes development and evaluation of a device to provide rapid, high-temperature treatment of cotton as it comes out of a gin. The device is based partially on the principle of the belt dryer, which employs a conveyor belt to transport cotton, and uses hot air for drying. The device recirculates heated air that can be controlled at temperatures up to 260 degrees C (500 degrees F). Regulating belt speed controls exposure time of the cotton batt flowing through the device. The device's ability to regulate air temperature and duration of exposure allowed large-scale pseudo-duplication of experimental procedures used previously in destroying endotoxin in cotton. The device performed very well in a three-day test, successfully treating 179 kg (394 lb) of cotton lint for examinations of endotoxin content, guinea pig pulmonary response, cotton quality, and textile processing performance. Related research on the cotton and dust from this work showed that endotoxin content was reduced about the amount expected, guinea pig responses to dust were partially ameliorated, but cotton quality and processing performance were reduced.
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