Cotton gins are in constant battle with the ever-tightening gap of inputs versus outputs. In recent years, energy prices in the cotton ginning industry have been higher than ever. Unfortunately, ginners have little control over these prices that have such a large impact on the gin's profitability. The answer is not always removing equipment that requires energy, but making sure that energy is used to its optimum in all ginning processes.

I would like to focus on opportunities that gins have to save energy related to drying systems, moisture restoration, and heater temperature control. In gin equipment, energy efficiency needs to be both a design criteria as well as the operation technique. My discussion will begin with the efficient, yet effective operation of high air-volume pull-through drying systems and the components that make them work. I would then like to address the benefits associated with automatic temperature control that can be applied to almost any heater, as well as some new heater features that allow for the ultimate in fuel conservation. My conclusion will explain the efficiencies of different moisture applicators and how airflow relates to fuel consumption.