ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF MIXING INSIDE TWIN-SCREW EXTRUDERS

ANALYSIS

AND

OPTIMIZATION

OF

MIXING

INSIDE

TWIN-SCREW

EXTRUDERS

1. Introduction:

Generally the term mixing refers to the operation that have tendency to reduce non
uniformities of the dispersed phase or other properties of material. Mixing is important in
many polymer processing operations and significantly affects the properties of the final
product and, moreover, its process ability, energy consumption and costs [1].Co-rotating selfwiping twin-screw extruders are multi-purpose devices, and used for melting, pumping,
reaction, degassing, filling and blending of the materials. Given the importance to understand
the evolution of mixing in the different screw configurations, simulation tools are useful in
reducing the amount of trial and error in industrial practice.

1.1 Literature review:

Arash Sarhangi Fard et al. reported typical operations in extruders include melting, pumping,
reacting, degassing, filling and blending of materials. To increase the flexibility and handling
of processes, co-rotating twin screws are build up in a modular way, by applying many
different types of screw elements [1].

F. Bertrand et al. reported to present a new strategy for the transient simulation of fluid flow
in geometries involving moving parts and small gaps. It is based upon a fictitious domain
method and a mesh refinement technique that relies upon one single reference mesh. [2]

Linje Zhu et al. suggested three dimensional numerical simulations for analysis of polymers
in fully filled conveying elements of twin screw extruders. The simulation results show that
polymerization is accelerated with increasing screw pitch due to increase in mixing intensity
[3].

Department of Mechanical Engineering RVCE BANGALORE

ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF MIXING INSIDE TWIN-SCREW EXTRUDERS

M.Farmahini et al. suggested that TSEs can be used for liquid polymer processing in which
polymer is subjected to high shear stress. This results in grain refinement of structures. In this
work in a twin screw extruders the CFD simulation was performed to examine temperature
variations of melt with regard to the complexity of the flow [4].

2. Objectives:

In order to understand the flow behaviour of polymer and optimize design of twin screw

extruders.
To analyze dispersion of polymer inside the twin screw extruders.
Simulation of the nano-filler dispersion.
To optimize mixing of polymer inside the twin screw extruders.

3. Methodology:

Study of twin screw extruders-Different configuration and different screw elements.

Study of operational parameters.
CFD Analysis.

4. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES:

4.1 Tools:

solid works 2014

CFD

Department of Mechanical Engineering RVCE BANGALORE

ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF MIXING INSIDE TWIN-SCREW EXTRUDERS

4.2 Techniques:

Mapping Method.
Fictitious domain Method (FDM).

References:
Arash Sarhangi Fard, Patrick D. Anderson Simulation of distributive mixing inside mixing
elements of co-rotating twin-screw extruders .Computers & Fluids xxx (2013) xxxxxx.
F. Bertrand a,*, F. Thibault a, L. Delamare b, P.A. Tanguy a , Adaptive finite element
simulations of fluid flow in twin-screw extruders. Computers and Chemical Engineering 27
(2003) 491-500.
Linjie Zhu a,1, Kwabena A. Narh a,*, Kun S. Hyun Investigation of mixing mechanisms and
energy balance in reactive extrusion using three-dimensional numerical simulation method.
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 48 (2005) 34113422.
M. Farmahini Farahania R. Haghayeghia,,V. Khalajzadehb,H. Bahaia Experimental and
CFD investigation on the solidification process in a co-rotating twin screw melt conditioner.
Journal of Materials Processing Technology 210 (2010) 14641471

Department of Mechanical Engineering RVCE BANGALORE