Resin distribution in axial and circumferential directions of
self-wiping co-rotating parallel twin-screw extruder 11Part of
this paper was presented at the Annual Technical meeting (ANTEC) 2017
of the Society of Plastics Engineers, and at the ANTEC 2018. All
contents have been revised to meet the requirements for publication.
Kentaro Taki*, Shin-ichiro Tanifuji, Masatoshi Ohara, Takemasa Sugiyama,
Sho Umemoto, Yuya Obata, Jun-ichi Murata, Isao Tsujimura, Shin-ichi
Kihara
Abstract
A self-wiping co-rotating twin-screw extruder (TSE) is operated in a
starved state where the screws are partially filled with resin.
Understanding resin distribution on the screw surface is essential for
the design, operation, and maintenance of the twin-screw extrusion
process. In this study, the circumferential and axial distribution of
pressure, temperature, and resin in a TSE are calculated using a novel
method combining the mathematical formulation of Hele–Shaw flow, the
finite element method, and a newly developed down-wind pressure update
scheme. The experimental results were in good agreement with the
measured results. This calculation method enables us to visualize, in
detail, the resin distribution, pressure, and temperature for the entire
axial and circumferential direction over the TSE.
Topical Heading: Resin distribution in a twin-screw extruder
Keywords: Twin-screw extruder, Axial direction, Circumferential
direction, Finite element method, Resin