Transport processes and feasible operating domain in a twin-screw polymer extruder
The fluid flow and heat transfer in a fully intermeshing, co-rotating twin screw extruder are investigated numerically. The control volume technique is used for numerical modeling and simulation, considering both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. The velocity distributions in the screw channel are compared with experimental results and good agreement is obtained. Due to the limitations on the physical aspects of the problem, the numerical results show that not all desired operating conditions are feasible. A feasible domain, in terms of screw speed and mass flow rate, in which the extruder operation is satisfactory, is obtained for pure starch. To improve the applicable range of this model, an axial formulation is adopted for the translation region. This model yields consistent results with the earlier down-channel model while the feasibility region is extended towards lower mass flow rates. For the upper limit, a physical restriction arises in terms of the maximum flow rate. The model can be used for simulating a wide range of operating conditions while retaining the appropriate physical behavior of the process.
- Research Organization:
- Rutgers, State Univ. of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20002495
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990805--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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