Effect of nozzle size on texturing performance : comparison between air-jet and steam-jet texturing

Abstract

The objectives of this research work were to investigate the use of steam in order to replace air in the production of spunlike textured yam and to investigate the optimum nozzle size for steam-jet textured yam for the application of sewing thread. An existing air-jet texturing machine was modified to supply either air or steam to the texturing nozzle. Using four texturing nozzles, both air-jet and steam-jet textured yams were manufactured. The effect of nozzle size on process and yam parameters has been studied and compared with air-jet textured yams. The results show that spun-like textured yam manufactured using steam has lower loop instability and higher tensile properties than air at comparable fluid pressures.SEM image analysis shows that the entangled structure of the steam-jet textured yams is similar to air-jet textured yams.Further, sewability results show that steam-jet textured yams are suitable to manufacture sewing threads.