Parametric study of a 2-d model of the nip region in a counter-rotating,non-intermeshing twin screw extruder

Within the polymer processing industry, the demand for more efficient mixing within the existing mixer geometries and keeping a tighter control over increasingly difficult applications calls for a quantitative understanding of the role of the mixer geometry on the mixing performance. An important extruder geometry to consider is the Counter-Rotating, Non-Intermeshing Twin Screw Extruder (CRTSE). Recent studies suggest that the greater than linear mixing performance in this geometry may be attributed to the flow in the nip region. Solution of the fluid dynamic equations for a 2-D model of the nip region was found in order to quantify mixing using a FEM software called FIDAP which was available to us on the CRAY X-MP supercomputer at San Diego Supercomputer Center. In order to study the effects of design parameters in the nip region, an arbitrary interface was placed in the entrance of the region. A program called “LINE” tracks the path and growth of the interface through the region. Measures of mixing are computed and compared. Effect of several design parameters on mixing performance are studied. Conclusions are presented as to the relative effect of various design parameters. Discussions regarding the measures of mixing and mixing efficiency are presented.     

啮合异向双螺杆挤出过程熔体输送段常规螺纹元件3D流场分析

作者对啮合异向双螺杆挤出过程常规螺纹元件在充满熔体情况下的三维、等温、非牛顿流场进行FEM计算模拟的研究结果。所建物理模型包括螺槽区、啮合区和四个间隙 ;边界条件为真实的速度和压力边界条件 ;借助AN SYS有限元求解器进行流场计算 ,得到计算域的速度场、压力场和粘度场 ;利用以上流场计算结果 ,对常规螺纹元件的挤出特性和混合特性进行了分析     

Verarbeitung von PVC auf kalandern. Formgebung im walzenspalt

Shaping in the nip of the calender is characterized by the presence of a spindle-shaped bead of superfluous melt, i.e. bank, front of the nip. The melt transported to the nip by the drag set up by the rolls is then subjected to partial change in flow. The rerouted melt flows into the bank and is replaced by melt transported from the bank into the nip. The currents at the interior of the bank are also governed by its outer movement, a rotating movement, which is superimposed by a spiral undulation, and this decisively affects the quality of the film. The bank is formed by the melt which is severely sheared in the nip and high temperatures are correspondingly displayed. The length of time the melt remains in the bank is thus decisive for thermal loading during calendering. With the Luvitherm process, in which no true melt is present in the calender sheared material is collected in the nip in flake form before the nip and is again drawn through the nip in irregular sequence. Here also, calendering is governed by the flow conditions at the entrance to the nip.     

Transport in a twin-screw extruder for the processing of polymers

The fluid flow and heat transfer in polymer extrusion in a twin-screw extruder was studied numerically by using the finite volume method. In the mathematical model, the coordinate system is fixed to the screw so that it is held stationary and the barrel is moved to simplify the complicated geometry. The screw channel of a twin-screw extruder is approximated as two regions: translation and intermeshing. The flow in the translation region is similar to that in a shallow single screw extruder and is treated by the numerical methods given in the literature. In the nip or intermeshing region, strong mixing effects are expected, along with the diffusion of energy and momentum. The full governing equations are solved in this region to determine the velocity components in all the three coordinate directions. The energy equation is coupled with the equations of motion through viscosity, since the viscosity of the polymeric, non-Newtonian, fluids considered here is dependent upon the shear rate and temperature. There is no clear physical demarcation between the nip region and the translation region. Therefore, a domain matching was employed at an arbitrary location that was varied numerically to ensure that the results were independent of this location. The variation of pressure and bulk temperature along the helical channel of the twin-screw extruder is obtained, along with the shear rate. An experimental investigation of the velocity profiles in the translation region of a self-wiping twin-screw extruder, which is often used in practical applications, was carried out using a Laser Doppler Anemometer. The numerically predicted velocity profiles are compared with those from the experiments, yielding fairly close agreement.     

新型锥形双螺杆混合元件三维流场分析

利用ANSYS有限元分析软件对带有混合块的新型锥形双螺杆的混合段流场进行了三维模拟分析，通过速度场求出流量，并求出剪切速率，剪切应力及回流量来衡量混合效果，找出了混合块几何条件（间隙，错列角）及操作条件（转速，压差等）对挤出机混合效果的影响。     

A torque-based analysis of the reverse roll coating process

In a laboratory film coater operated at industrial speed, the torque exerted by the metering rod was used to investigate the hydrodynamics in the metering nip flow. CFD simulations were also performed taking into account the deformation of the roll cover to depict the elastohydrodynamics of the metering nip flow. From the experiments, it was found that the torque increases with transfer speed, load and viscosity. When runnability problems such as spitting were observed, the torque signal decreased. Torque measurements could also predict excessive friction between rod and roll, which may damage the elastic cover. The numerical simulations showed trends similar to the experiments. Regions of positive and negative torque values demonstrated how the fluid interacts with the rod, a phenomenon apparently related to the occurrence of secondary flows in the metering nip. Finally, the numerical results also showed that the minimum nip gap becomes constant at high loads.     

三螺杆挤出机端面二维流场混沌混合拉格朗日拟序结构分析

三螺杆挤出机是一种新型的聚合物流体加工设备,其独有的中心区呈现出几何结构和受力状态的周期性变化,混合机理非常复杂。区别于传统的线性混合分析,从拉格朗日体系的新视角对三螺杆挤出机混沌混合进行拉格朗日拟序结构分析,利用有限时间Lyapunov指数（FTLE）、拉格朗日拟序结构（LCS）,结合Poincaré截面和粒子可视化技术研究三螺杆挤出机二维流场的流体输运和混沌混合机理,讨论了中心区动态结构特性对FTLE和LCS分布的影响,并与单螺杆挤出机和双螺杆挤出机进行了对比分析。结果表明,LCS将三螺杆挤出机流域划分为近螺杆区、远螺杆区和中心区3个具有不同运动特性的区域,扭结是连接近螺杆区、远螺杆区和中心区物质交换的桥梁。随着混合时间的增加,扭结的弯曲和折叠程度逐渐增大,增强了3个区域的物质交换,强化了三螺杆流场的混沌混合。三螺杆挤出机啮合区附近存在3个双曲固定点,混合能力较好。Poincaré截面中椭圆周期点的出现说明在流域中心有非混沌区存在,因此三螺杆挤出机的中心区混合能力相对较弱。     

Study of mixing efficiency in kneading discs of co-rotating twin-screw extruders

Co-rotating twin-screw extruders are widely used for compounding and blending in polymer processing. In a modular machine, the dominant elements determining dispersive mixing efficiency are the kneading discs. A fluid dynamics analysis package - FIDAP, using the finite element method was implemented to simulate the 3-D isothermal flow patterns in the kneading disc region of a Werner & Pfleiderer ZSK-53 co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The kneading discs simulated are three-lobe discs. The flow field characteristics relevant for dispersive mixing are shear stresses generated and elongational flow components. We compare these flow characteristics for the three-lobe kneading discs of the ZSK-53 with the two-lobe discs of a ZSK-30 machine. We also discuss the influence of processing parameters on the flow field mixing efficiency.     

啮合同向双螺杆挤出机普通螺纹元件末端共混物的混合形态Ⅰ.物料三维流动路径的计算

用有限元方法对啮合同向双螺杆挤出机的螺纹元件流场进行了三维等温非牛顿模拟分析,根据流场分析所得到的速度场,通过编程计算得到了物料在啮合同向双螺杆挤出机螺纹元件中的三维流动路径。结果表明,由于存在着轴向回流,部分物料不能流出元件出口,而是从元件入口返流;物料在元件中的运动轨迹不尽相同,有的物料微元在整个流动过程中都围绕着2根螺杆以螺旋“∞”形向前运动,有的物料微元在流动过程中时而围绕1根螺杆连续旋转,时而围绕2根螺杆以螺旋“∞”形向前运动;在螺槽区,物料在螺槽的横截面内上下流动;回流物料微元数随着螺杆转速的增大、双螺杆挤出机产量的减小而增大。     

同向啮合双螺杆挤出机捏合块流道三维流场分析

利用ANSYS有限元分析软件对啮合同向双螺杆挤出机的捏合块流场部分进行了三维模拟分析。通过速度场求出流量 ,并求出拉伸速率、剪切速率及剪切应力来衡量混合效果。得到了机筒表面和啮合区的压力分布 ,找出了捏合盘几何条件 (间隙、错列角 )及操作条件 (转速、压差等 )对挤出机混合效果的影响。     

Dispersive mixing in roll-mills

A theoretical model of the dispersive mixing process in roll-mills is proposed. The model is based on the assumption that intensive mixing is dominated by agglomerate rupture in the narrow nip high shear flow field between the rolls. The dynamics of agglomerate size distribution and its dependencies on a number of variables and parameters are presented.     

Using CFD and Ultrasonic velocimetry to Study the Mixing of Pseudoplastic Fluids with a Helical Ribbon Impeller

A commercial CFD package was used to simulate the 3D flow field generated in a cylindrical tank by a helical ribbon impeller. The study was carried out using a pseudoplastic fluid with yield stress in the laminar mixing region. Ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry (UDV), a noninvasive fluid flow measurement technique for opaque systems, was used to measure xanthan gum velocity. From flow field calculations and tracer homogenization simulations, power consumption and mixing time results were obtained. The torque and power characteristics remain the same for upward and downward pumping of the impeller, but the mixing times are considerably longer for the downward pumping mode. Overall, the numerical results showed good agreement with experimental results and correlations developed by other researchers. From the power and mixing time results, two efficiency criteria were utilized to determine the best pumping mode of the impeller.     

微通道内连续合成十二烷基苯磺酸的响应面分析及混合过程模拟

随着精密加工技术的发展,特征尺寸小于1mm的微化工设备因其高效的传质传热效能及本质安全特性逐渐被应用在许多有机合成工艺中。微通道内连续合成十二烷基苯磺酸是开发高效、绿色、安全的磺化工艺的重要基础。本文通过响应面实验方法,研究温度、流量、SO₃/DDB摩尔比对微反应器内十二烷基苯磺化工艺的交互影响,发现产品活性物质含量受流量影响最大,而T形结构微混合器中流量这一因素主要影响流体碰撞强度和停留时间。因此,利用CFD计算流体力学方法对T形微混合器内流体进行表征。模拟了T形混合器内不同流速下SO₃和DDB的混合状态,发现其混合状态变化规律与实验所得结论基本一致,低流速时混合器内混合效果不强,随着流速的增加,混合器内组分互相混合的区域明显增多。认为是流速的增大使得混合器内流体受到的惯性力增大,且增强了混合处流体的碰撞,相对地使混合器内流体受到表面张力减小,增强了混合效果。研究了有无溶剂条件下不同流速时T形微混合器内水和甲苯两相流体混合状态,发现无溶剂条件下流速为0.12m/s时,两相流体受界面张力作用发生一定程度混合后分离呈泰勒流形式流动;流速为0.15~0.17m/s时,混合现象消失,流体直接呈泰勒流形式;流速为0.19~0.21m/s时,受对撞效果增强影响再次出现混合部分。而有溶剂条件下,流体不再出现明显的泰勒流,而是以特征尺寸小于管道尺寸的小液滴的形式在管道内流动,流速为0.12~0.17m/s时流体呈不规则流动,流速为0.19~0.21m/s时流体以密度从大到小由内而外分布在管道径向方向上。认为是溶剂的引入减小了界面张力的作用,使得Re数升高时,惯性力的主导作用更强。     

Numerical simulation of the flow in an extensional flow mixer. Effect of fluid elasticity on the flow

We discuss the viscoelastic flow of the matrix fluid in an Extensional Flow Mixer (EFM) obtained by a numerical simulation. The effect of the fluid viscoelasticity on the flow state in an EFM was considered by the comparison of the flow states of the purely viscous fluid and the viscoelastic fluid. The mixing performance of the EFM is also considered. The Phan‐Thien Tanner model was used as the constitutive equation of the viscoelastic fluid and the Carreau model was used as that of the purely viscous fluid. Results obtained are as follows: (1) Stagnation flows occur in the converging‐diverging plates (c‐d plates) in the case of viscoelastic fluid. The size of stagnation flow region becomes large when the fluid has a strain‐thickening elongational viscosity. (2) The absolute value of the extensional strain and the pressure drop in the c‐d region increase with fluid elasticity. Meanwhile, the residence time in the c‐d region decreases with that. (3) There is no stagnation region in the c‐d plates for a purely viscous fluid. The stagnation flow has an effect on the estimation value of EFM's performance. The prediction by the purely viscous fluid is not useful for the flow in an EFM because of extremely low accuracy.     

Pressure drop characteristics of flow in a symmetric channel with periodically expanded grooves

Pressure drop characteristics of flow in a periodically grooved channel are investigated experimentally. It is well known that a self-sustained oscillatory flow occurs from a steady-state flow at a certain critical Reynolds number in such grooved channels. The oscillatory flow enhances fluid mixing and leads to an increase in pressure drop. We measure the pressure drop with a pressure transducer. It is found that the pressure drop increases near the critical Reynolds numbers where the two- and three-dimensional oscillatory flows occur. In addition, the three-dimensional flow is confirmed by flow visualization.     

气流在板波填料内的径向混合——(Ⅱ)数学模型

根据填料结构和流体运动规律;本文对气流在板波填料层内的混合机理进行了分析,提出了气流混合的数学模型.计算结果与实测数据比较吻合.     

啮合异向双螺杆挤出过程轴向循环流道三维流场分析——轴向循环流场分析(Ⅲ)

介绍了作者在啮合异向双螺杆某一轴向位置设置一非啮合段 (且该段其中一根螺杆是反向输送元件 ) ,从而将轴向循环流动的概念引入到啮合异向双螺杆挤出过程中 ,并利用ANSYS有限元分析软件对啮合异向双螺杆挤出过程轴向循环流道中的非牛顿流体等温流动进行的三维模拟分析 ;在得出速度场和压力场的基础上 ,对剪切速率、剪切应力及剪切粘度进行了模拟 ,并将各模拟结果与未引入轴向循环段的啮合异向双螺杆挤出过程常规螺纹元件流道的模拟结果进行了比较。     

Fluid dynamics and mixing of single-phase flow in a stirred vessel with a grid disc impeller: Experimental and numerical investigations

We report experimental and numerical investigations of a novel grid disc impeller for mixing of single-phase flow in stirred vessels. We performed detailed mean velocity measurements using LDA to understand the flow generated by the grid disc impeller and we also measured the mixing time and power consumption of the grid disc impeller. Measurements showed that the performance of the grid disc impeller, which has radial flow characteristics, is equivalent to a standard propeller in terms of the degree of mixing achieved per unit power consumption. We also performed numerical simulations to predict the flow generated by the grid disc impeller and its mixing performance. It was shown that the present computational model predicts the mean velocities, power consumption and mixing time in good agreement with the measurements. The experimentally validated computational model was further used to understand the effects of impeller rotational speed and grid disc configuration on the fluid dynamics and mixing performance of the grid disc impeller.     

Investigation of crystal growth of borax in single and dual impeller batch cooling crystallizer

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to investigate and compare the influence of fluid flow in a single and dual impeller batch cooling crystallizer on crystal growth kinetics of borax decahydrate. Examinations were conducted in a crystallizer of 15?dm³ stirred by a single pitched blade turbine and straight blade turbine as well as their dual configurations. Kinetics parameters of crystal growth determined at applied mixing conditions were correlated with hydrodynamic conditions. In this paper, hydrodynamics was characterized by mixing time, which was experimentally determined, and by fluid flow patterns, which were simulated by the means of computational fluid dynamic (CFD). It was found that although the crystal growth in all systems investigated was controlled by the integration mechanism, the crystal growth rate constant changed significantly with impeller configuration. Regarding the characteristics of the final product, a dependence of the crystal size distribution on the fluid flow pattern was noticed while the number of impellers did not affect the product properties. On the other hand, mixing efficiency differed significantly with the type and number of impellers.