13—AN AIR-FLOW METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE FIBRE FINENESS OF JUTE AND MESTA

Abstract

An account is given of air-flow experiments with paraIlel-fibre plugs of jute and mesta (kenaf). Over the working range of packing density of 0-4-0-6 g/cm3, the Kozeny equation was found to be approximately true. The dependence of κ on the porosity, ∊, was examined and κ was found to be slightly low for white jute. The effect of combing on κ was small. Random-fibre plugs were unsuitable. On the basis of these observations, a simple direct-reading fibre-fineness tester with a constant-flow aspirator, suitable for use in Indian rural areas, has been developed for jute and mesta.