Transportation of cotton to primary processing enterprises is carried out by pneumatic transport. The process of separating the transported cotton from the air is carried out in a separator device. In the separator, the cotton is separated by sucking air from the mesh surface. To improve the process of separating cotton from air, it is proposed to install a mesh drum in the working chamber of the separator. The proposed mesh drum cotton separator is designed to separate cotton from air in the working chamber without damaging it.