Md.Shabjatal Lecturer.CTEC Blow room Blow Room: Blow Room consists of a number of machines used in succession to open and clean the cotton fiber to the required degree. 40-70% trash is removed in this section. Blow Room Section: The section where the supplied compressed bales are opened, cleaned, blended or mixed to form uniform lap of specific length is called blow room section. It is the first step of spinning. ‘The section consists of a number of mécs used in succession to open & clean the cotton fibre to the required degree. 40% to 70% trash is removed in this se Why is called Blow Room? In this section the fibers are transferred from one machine to another machine by the use of air flow. For this reason, the section is called blow room. Object of Blow Room: * Opening- Opening of compressed cotton bales and cotton are made into small tufts. * Cleaning- To eliminate dust, drt, broken leaf, seed particles, grass and other foreign materials from the fiber. + Blending/Mixing- To produce a comparatively good quality cotton fibre by mixing different types of cotton together + Lap Forming- a) To convert the opened and cleaned fiber into a sheet of particular width and uniform weight/unit length is, called lap. b)_ To give a cylindrical shape to the predetermined lap by winding it in the lap pin. ©) To transfer the lap from the lap pin to a rod to suitable handle and feed it to subsequent processing. Basic Operations in Blow Room: 1. Opening by action of opposite spikes. 2. Cleaning by action of beater. 3. Dust removal by action of current. 4. Mixing/Blending, 5. Even feed of the material to the card by regulating action. Function of Blow room a) Feeding, (b) Beating/opening (©) Transporting/transferring, (@) Lap sheet formation‘Md.Shahjalal Lecturer.CTEC Conventional Blow-room line For Low grade Cotton Medium Grade Cotton High Grade Cotton Synthetic fiber Bale Opener Bale Opener ‘Bale Opener Bale Opener hea Cleaner Ui Gener Uta Cleaner Uta Cleaner ena Beater re Beater Peenins Beater Hopper saa Aaiow Comer Ari Cleaner Kinch ose Reserv bon Bladed Beater panera Lap om Lap io Rineaca nee Lap amen Lap fio Modern Blow-Room line Rieter (Switzerlend) BlowRoom Line Schematic Diagram 1. Unifloc (A-11) (Bale opener) + 2. Uniclean (B-12) (Pre-cleaner) t 3. Unimix (B-75) (Homogenous mixer) t 4. Unistore (A-78) (Storage and feeding machine) + 5. Condenser (A- 21) + 6. Card (C-60) L 7. Sliver Coiler (CBA -4)Md.Shabjatal ‘Trutzschler (Germany) Blow Room Line Schematic Diagram L. 2 3. Bale Opener 4 Condenser + Securomat 1 Multimixer 4 Cleanomat 4 Dustex 1 Foreign Fiber Extractor 1 fargo tae Feeding Apparat i) Feeding with two cooperating clamping rollers/Cylinders: It gives better forwarding but greatest clamping distance between the roller and beater. i) Feeding with an upper roller and bottom table: Clamping with whole width is poor since the roller presses only on the highest of the web. So thin places in the web can be dragged out of the web. Clamping distance can be made very small gives intensive opening of fiber. ii) Feeding with a roller and pedals: The table against the roller divided into many sections and can be pressed individually on the web against the roller. This gives secure clamping distance,Md.Shabjatal Opening Devices The majority of operating device blow room machines functions as Opening devices. Opening unit can be classified as: L 1. Endless path device (Spiked Lattices) 2. Gripping devices 3. Rotating Assembles Endless path device (Spiked Lattices): Spiked lattice serves as forwarding and opening devices in bale opening devices in bale openers and hopper feeders, ‘They consist of circulating endless lattice or belts with transverse bars at short intervals. Opening is done because in the upper region of lattice there is a counter rotating roller, also clothed with spikes located fairly close to the lattice. This roller strips the material from the lattice. Spiked Lattices Gripping Elements: ‘Some manufacturers, for example Schubert, Salzer and Trutzschler have used or still use plucking springs for opening. ‘Two spring systems, facing each other like jaws of a tongs are parted and dropped into the feed materials then closed before being lifted clear. They grasp the material like fingers. This type of striping is the gentlest of all ‘methods of opening, but it gives mostly large to very large clumps of uneven size. Plucking Pins3. Rotating Devices: A. Beaters used in Blow Room Machine B. Rollers used in blow room. A. Beaters used in Blow Room Machine Porcupine Beater: Function: Good opening beater Considered most suitable for long staple cotton, The striker are arranged at different angles to cover the total width of the machine in one revolution of the beater. Revolution per minute of beater 750-960. To separate the fibers by striker. ‘To clean the fibers. Bladed Beaters (Beater arms multiple bladed beater): Opening and cleaning effect is small. It is only in the form of the double beater scutcher. It is hardly used today. Multiple bladed beaters are two types a, Two bladed beater. b, Three bladed beater. ‘Two bladed beater: ‘Two blades are arranged in both sides and equal distance of the shaft, Revolution per minute 800-850. To clean broken seeds of heavy impurities of fibers. ‘Three bladed beaters Similar to two bladed beaters. ‘Three blades arranged in equal distance of shaft. Clean dirt like two bladed beaters but are more effective, RPM of three bladed beater 850-940. ‘Md.Shahjalal ‘The beater bars arranged parallel to the supporting shaft and held by four or five cast iron arms.‘Md.Shahjalal iii, Kirschner beater or beater with pinned bars. + It consists of three armed “spiders” mounted on a shaft, well pinned, stee! pins arranged in staggered formation to ensure adequate combing of cotton Efficient cleaner. Exclusively used for man made fiber processing. RPM of K.B is 750-850. To change cleaning efficiency due to changes setting of beaters and grid, Function: © To make the cotton tuft a small size as for as possible by opening. To clean all kinds of dusts. To delivery of balanced layers of fibers beaten feeding, B. Rollers used in Blow Room Machine i. Rollers with teeth or blade or spike: Flat, oval or round bars are welded, riveted or screwed to close eylinders Used in modern horizontal cleaners, chute feeds, mixing bale opener, step cleaner etc ‘+ Atthe start of the blowroom line, the spacing of the striker elements of the roller is greater and finer spacing is used in middle of line. The rollers rotate at speeds in the range 600-1000 rpm. + Bladed drums is used in porcupine opener. ii, Drums with teeth or spike: Same as roller but larger diameters of 600 mm and more, © When the drum is designed for use at the start of the process, the spacing of the striker elements on the drum is course. © When the drum is designed for thr use in the middle or towards the end of the line (for example porcupine cleaner) the spacing of the striker elements on the drum are fine. Rotates vary between 400-800 rpm. Parallel, on right angled arrange the device to the material flow.iii, Blow room rollers with toothed dis: Itis made up of many toothed discs secured to a shaft with an. appropriate number of distance pieces. The teeth are almost always asymmetrically formed since they have to operate only one direction Rollers with toothed dises belong to the middle of the blow room line. iv. Carding rollers: Saw toothed wire is used. Gives first opening and best cleaning action. But creates stress on fibers, Rotational speeds line between 600 to 1000 rpm. v. Beaters and rollers with pinned bars/Kirschner: Simple in design. Gives favorable flow of fibers. Operates like Kirschner beaters.Ma.Shahjatal Grid The grid or a grid-like structure under the opening assembly that determines the level of waste and its composition in terms of impurities and good fibres. Grids are segment-shaped devices under the opening assemblies and consist of several (or many) individual polygonal bars or blades (ie. elements with edges) and together these form a trough. ‘The grid has a large influence on the cleaning effect via + The section of the bars. © The grasping effect of the edges of the polygonal bars, + The setting angle of the bars relative to the opening elements © The width of the gaps between the bars. The overall surface area of the grid Elements/Types of grid >Prrr »»>»>»> ee ee The following element can be used in the grid a. Slotted sheets b. perforated sheets Function: Both are formerly placed under cards and used to a steadily decreasing extent. . Triangular section bars Modern grids are mostly made up of triangular bars Funetion: These are robust, easy to manipulate and give a good cleaning effect. d. Angle bars Function: These are somewhat less robust and can tend to create to blockages €. Blades Today grid is made up of knife blade alone, without other element types, Function: Blades have been used as grid elements for a long time, almost always in combination with triangular section bars. Grid Adjustments 1. The grids can be one, two or three parts. 2. Itcan be adjusted only as a unit or indi ‘There are three basic adjustments a. Closed. idual sittings.Md.Shahjatat Lecturer.CTEC b. Open. ¢. Glacing- Similar to open type To opening, cleaning, transforming, regulating and uniform lap forming from compressed bale. Mainly four principle action takes place in blow room. ‘These are 1. The action of opposing spikes 2. The action of air current (Transfer+ Cleaning) 3. The action of beaters 4. The action of feed regulating 1 Act on of opposite spike: (Opening) ‘The action of opposite spikes is opening the cotton fibre. By this action, the large pieces of cottons have been reduced in size. 2. Action of Air current: (Transfer + cleaning) During processing, the movement of cotton from mics to m/c is done by air current. It also helps the separation of lint & trash. 3. Action of Beaters: (Cleaning & opening) Beaters are responsible for removing almost all of the impurity extracted in the blow room. Beater also helps in opening of cotton fibre. 4. Action of regulation motion: (Uniform output) Regulating action is responsible for maintaining a constant flow of cotton through each machine and controlling over the regularity of the material through out the process. The correct amount of cotton in the reserve box may be maintained by the use of help of © Swing door & swing paddle. * Electrical photocell. + Air pressure system. * Piano feed regulating system. Importance of regulating motion To produce not only uniformed lap but also uniformed sliver: + This motion is important in the Blow Room in order to maintain a const flow of cotton, + For uniform feeding. © Toremove dust, dirt and short fibers as required, this motion needed. * To maintain the desired characteristics of lap. * To get optimum efficiency of machine in the Blow RoomMd.Shabjatal Lecturer.CTEC Auxiliary equipment used in Blow Room © Metal Extractor * Fire eliminator # Waste disposal Blow room installation In order to perform their assigned tasks optimally, these m/e must be located at quite specific positions in the Blow room line, In a normal modern blow room installation, six clearly distinguishable operating zones can be identified 1 Zone 1 (Opening) 2 Zone 2 (Coarse cleaning) 3 Zone 3 (Blending) 4 Zone 4 (Fine cleaning) 5 Zone 5 (Intensive cleaning) 6 Zone 6 (Card feeding) 1 Zone 1 ( Blendomat) This type of machine is most widely used It enables processing up to 70 bales arranged as four components per blend and process one or two blend simultaneously 2 Zone 2 (Coarse cleaning) Securomat Two things generally process the materials while it is in free flight S triker elements are conspicuous in coarse are cleaning machines They widely spaced on the operating Rollers Coarse opening machines are optimal at their given position in the line but not at other position 3 Zone 3 ( Multimixer) ‘The machine comprises several 6 8 adjacent chute chambers into which the materials is blown from above The chutes are filled successively and material is removed from all chute chambers simultaneously This gives good long term blend Ejection of flocks on to a collecting conveyor is performed by take off and beating rollers under the chute ‘The filling height is held fairly constant by feelers 4 Zone 4 (Fine cleaning) CVT 3: Zone 4 must produce new surfaces, i ¢ the cleaning operation must be preceded by opening Machines always operate with clamp feeds Also the spacing the striker elements on the rollers must be finer Bladed rollers are generally used the well known horizontal cleaner fitted with rollers instead of drums, 5 Zone 5 (Intensive cleaning) Dustex ‘The was provided by the scutcher in the form of kirschner beater and still may be even in Modern lines with scutcher In addition to the kirschner beater there may be a saw tooth roller Where only one machine is used, the carding roller is preferred to the kirschner beater.Md.Shabjatal Lecturer.CTEC 6 Zone 6 (Card Feeding) It is enormously important that the cards receive feed material that itself is homogeneous, uniform from card to card and remains const over a long period Fulfilling this requirement not exactly easy for many modern installations with pneumatic flock feed systems Usually a certain degree of design effort is necessary to deal with the problem Lab feed is less problematical in this connection, since each scutchers lap is checked by weighing for constant lap fineness, Beating or Cleaning points in Blow room (a) Ultracleaner/stepcleaner/super cleaner/Gradient cleaner/Giant Cleaner. (b) Axiflow cleaner. (©) Saw toothed beater. (@) Bladed beater. (e) Porcupine beater. (8) Mono cylinder (g) Multimixer. (h) Krischner beater. (i) Twin opener. (j) Vertical opener. (E.R. M. cleaner. General Factors influencing fiber opening & Cleaning (A) Raw Materi (a) Thickness of the feed. (b) Density of the feed. (©) Fibre coherence (a) Fibre alignment (©) Size of flocks (B) Mies / Devices : (i) Types of feed (ii) Form of feeding device (iii) Type of cleaning device (iv) Arrangement of pins (©) Speed : (Speed of the device GiJThrough put speed of material, (D) Others = (i) Humidity (Gi) Temperature, Auxiliary equipment used in modern blow room line. (a) Hopper feeder. (b) Reserve box. (c) Condenser or condensing cage (@) Exhaust fan (e) Feed regulating motions (8) By-pass system. (g) Filter room. Major & Minor beating poi t When we use a beater to clean fibre then it is called! major beating point. e.g. Step cleaner, Porcupine beater, Krischner beater etc. But when we use a b the fibre, but some cleaning is occurred then itis called minor beating. e.g. Bale plucker, Bale opener, Saw toothed beater, condenser etc.Md.Shabjatal Lecturer.CTEC Lap Feed System: a, Scutcher (Fixed) b. Chute feeding (Continuous) Standard Lap Specification: Lap Length 60 yds Lap Weight 40-50 Tbs Lap wilyd 1210 16 07 Lap Weight variation | 3% (Acceptable) Hank (0.0011-0.0019 Ne Mechanical Draft | 2.67 (approax) Scutcher or Lap former m/c. Scutcher: Scutcher is an unit to form lap sheet from the open & clean raw mils to facilitate the feeding to the next processing i.e. in carding. On the other hand, it is also known as lap former unit. But scutcher does. not work individually. It works in conjunction with other beater say, K.B, B.B with condenser etc. Scutcher is designed with some steel polished rollers fabricated one over another. They creates certain pressure to the mtl processed & form a sheet of definite density depending on the raw ml characteristics. The rollers are known as calender rollers from which bottom can lender roller is responsible for delivery i. e. production, It is last m/c of B/R section.Uniform laps are produced in this mvc. A = Krischner beater. © B= Condensing cage . L) VS a>? sree s. O° Ny ee C Lap Feed System: Lap feed system is a mechanism to feed the material at uniform weight per unit length and width to carding machine. It a discontinuous process to feed the material from blow room to the card feed roller. Advantages of lap feed system © Maintaining constant lap thickness is easier. + Installation is very flexible. + Blending operation is easier. + Auto leveler is not required, hence investment cost and maintenance is lower. Demerits of Lap Feed System in Carding: 1. Stoppage due to lap changes 2. Extra labor for lap transportation Compression of fibers in the lap poses problem during opening in carding. 3. More wastes due to lap tails and damages. 4, Inregularity of sliver weight due to improper unwinding of laps. Chute feed System (Continuous) The system of feeding small tufts of cotton fibers directly from blow room to the card is called the chute feed system. Card is arranged in series circuit through pneumatic pipe. Pneumatic tubes are systems that propel cylindrical containers through a network of tubes by compressed air or by partial vacuum, The blow room machinery is linked toMd.Shahjatat Lecturer.CTEC the cards by trunking and the opened cleaned cotton is conveyed by pneumatic means to each card — this is the principle of chute feed system. Advantages of Chute feed system: Direct automatic feed to card increases B/R working efficiency. Elimination of man power during scutcher operation, Processing of rejected lap is avoided. Due to loose form of feeding of fibers trash particles can be removed easily during carding. ‘This is the only solution for higher production Suitable for synthetic fibers bulky in nature, Disadvantage limitation of chute feed system: 1. Blow room should run the same number of hours per week as the cards do. 2. The card production must be kept excessive to assure continuous feed to draw-frame at the time of stoppages at blow room due to maintenance and other unavoidable problems. 3. Chute feed system control short term variation but not the medium- and long-term variations. 4. Areliable check on the nominal count can be established in lap forming system by controlling total lap weight and C.V. value of the weight per unit length. There is no such control in the chute feeding system. 5. Change of mixing will result in more waste in chute feed. 6. Auto-leveler is must 7. investment and maintenance cost is higher Difference between Lap feed System (Conventional) and Chute Feed System (Modern) Lap Feed System Chute Feed System 1. whole installation is very flexible. I. installation is not flexible 2. auto-leveler is not required. 2. auto-leveler is a must. 3. lower maintenance and investment cost. 3. higher maintenance and investment cost. 4. More manpower is needed for transportation of lap. 4, manpower requirement is less as there is no lap transportation or lap change. 5. linear density of lap is very good (uniform) 5. linear density of the web fed to the card is not as good as lap. Faults in blow room 6. high production is not possible. 6. flock feed is the only solution for high production, Faults ‘Causes Remedies 1. Uneven Lap: patchy, sticky, thick and thin place in lap © Uneven feed of material * Faulty regulating motion, * Improper machine maintenance, * To ensure even feed of materials * Correct bale opening. » Proper machine maintenance. 2, Irregular Lap: Lap should be ‘of definite shape, length and weight per unit length. Ifthe lap is less than required length then it is called irregular lap. © Uneven feed of fibers to feed lattice, © Presence of weak, small and immature fibers during mixing, Faulty regulating motion and swing door. © Improper machine maintenance. * Evenly feed of fibers to the feed lattice, ® Absence of weak, small and immature fibers in fibers during mixing. » Correct regulating motion and swing door. = Proper machine maintenance. 3. Soft lap: If lap is less compact, itis called soft lap, © Low pressure of calendar roller Less relative humidity of blow room section, © More trash content of fibers. = Excess opening and cleaning of cotton, ® Relative humidity should be controlled, ® Proper relative humidity. Less trash content of fibers. = Cleaning should be correct. lap increases or decreases with respect 10 its initial width, the lap is then said to be conical lap. © Air suction varies due to fan speed variation, so uneven drawn of material at both sides of cage. © Pressure variation at both sides of calendar roller. © Dirt drains in one side of cage. * More air inlet in one side. * To ensure proper air flow. > Calendar roller pressure must be controlled. ® Afier a certain time, cage must be cleaned. 'S. Barrel Shaped lap: Ifthe ® More air suction in the middle position of the = Fan speed should be controlledMd.Shahjatat Lecturer.CTEC thickness of lap in middle position is more than that of border sides, it is called barrel shaped lap. ‘cage due to excessive fan speed and so more fibers are drawn in the middle position. © Due to accumulation of dirt at both sides of the cage. Alter certain time eage must be cleaned. 6. Lap licking: * Low pressure in the calendar roller. Excessive fan speed. © Improper roller seting. © Low opening of cotton, * Used soft waste at greatest rate with general cotton, © Storage of excess cotton in bottom cage. Proper pressure of calendar roller, ® Proper fan speed. » Proper roller motion setting. * Proper opening of cottor ® Reduce of soft waste in cotton, ® Proper maintenance of cage. 7. Defective selvedge: Both side of lap are uneven. © Waste accumulation at machine sides. © Waste accumulation at grid bars and cage sides. Broken gear teeth or machine parts. ‘Faulty cage and faulty surface of lattice. Proper maintenance of eage and lattice. » Proper gear teeth, %_ Split Cap: The cotton splits imo sheet like @ sandwich when unrolling a the card © Low pressure of calendar roller. * Low temperature in blow room section “ Variation of surface speed of top and bottom cage. * Proper pressure of calendar roller. *Proper temperature in blow section, Same surface of top and bottom cage. room 9. Dirty lap: Causes of lap weight variation/ desired characteris Insufficient dust removal Dirty machine due to improper maintenance. of lap 1. Unsuitable feedin ‘* Irregular feeding of fibers to the feed lattice by the feeders in the bale opener. + _ Feed of very large piece of baled cotton 2. Characteristics of fiber ‘IF the blend contains improper mixing of fiber, it may be varying fineness. in blend ‘© If there are immature fibers in the blend, produce lap irregularity, 4 _If there ate week and short fibers, produce imegular lap. 3. Incorrect setting of ‘* Mechanical swing door or photo electric cell: lap variation will produce due to different machine parts setting faults in this machine. ‘+ setting of evener roller: If the setting is incorrect, the opening regularity of flow of fiber and rate of production of the machine is affected with causes lap irregularity. Piano or cone drum regulating arrangement: If the system does not work effectively, causes lap weight variation. 4. Improper maintenance of the machinery Due to not well-maintained proper opening, beating and cleaning, disposal of dust, control of air current, fan speed etc, leads to lap variation. Incorrect fan speed If fan speed is too slow, the fibers move on the cages. On the other hand, ifthe air flow is too strong, the cotton is drawn down-wards the center of the cages and will ive a barrel shaped lap.