| Abstract: | Banbury mixers are widely used in polymer processing. The mechanics of flow in the chamber of an internal mixer are complex and difficult to analyze due to the complicated geometry and the highly transient character of the flow. For this work, a fluid dynamics analysis package—FIDAP, using the finite element method, was implemented to simulate the flow patterns for a Banbury B mixer. A 2-D flow analysis was carried out for the whole mixing chamber with two counter-rotating rotors. A power-law model fluid was used to characterize the rheological behavior of the mixture. 18 different geometries were selected to represent the relative position of the two rotors during their revolution. Streamlines and pressure contours were plotted for each geometry. Transient pressure profiles at fixed locations in the chamber wall were compared with experimental data. The comparison shows good agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental observations. |
