Modeling Total Particulate Measurement in Cotton

Abstract

The in situ native standard method is presented to measure total particulate content (nonlint trash plus dust) in cotton. The method is based on first rendering a sample free of particulate by repetitive mechanical cleaning and then spiking the cleaned lint with the recoverable particulate. A calibration curve is generated with property constant λ_i. The same property is then measured in the uncleaned cotton. An apparent particulate burden, τ_i, is determined from the calibration curve. By observing different properties and using null hypothesis statistics it is possible to calculate a mean value for the accepted total particulate content, τ. Earlier modeling predicted the null hypothesis error in τ _i is a function of percentage particulate recovered for spiking and the ratio λ_i/θ _i where θ is the nonrecoverable particulate ith property constant. The model is refined to minimize error contributions from additional sources in the measurement system. A positive bias is expected if particulate size distribution in the spikes is different from that in the stock. A positive or negative error may occur if indigenous fiber material isolated from the cleaned lint is excluded in spike prepara tion. Experimental data is presented. to verify model predictions.