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 spun-like textured yarn and to investigate the optimum nozzle size for steam-jet textured yarn 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 yarns were manufactured. The effect of nozzle size on process and yarn parameters has been studied and compared with air-jet textured yarns. The results show that spun-like textured yarn 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 yarns is similar to air-jet textured yarns. Further, sewability results show that steam-jet textured yarns are suitable to manufacture sewing threads.

Keywords:

• air-jet texturing
• steam-jet texturing
• spun-like textured yarn
• texturing nozzle
• loop instability
• sewing threads