Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of geometry and fill level on the transport and mixing behaviour of a co-rotating twin screw extruder

  • Published:
Computational Particle Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The transport and mixing properties of a co-rotating twin screw extruder with both screw elements and kneading blocks are explored using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. The use of a Lagrangian method enables simulation of extruders partially or fully filled with fluid and is not limited by problems associated with extreme mesh deformation due to the opposite rotation of the impellors or the small gaps between them. The cross-channel and axial fluid transport and mixing in the screw elements and kneading blocks are analysed. The effect of parametric variations in both impeller elements on the nature of the fluid flow and the mixing are explored; specifically the effects of varying the screw pitch (positively correlated to mixing rate), kneading block stagger angle (the mixing rate peaks at a block angle of 30°) and gap size between the rotating elements (positively correlated to mixing rate). Flow and mixing behaviour is also investigated for partially filled cases, with a fill level of 50% producing the highest mixing rates for the screw elements. The presence of fluid free surfaces is shown as generally positive for mixing. We demonstrate significantly improved mixing when the orientation handedness of the screw and kneading blocks leads to concentration of fluid in the kneading elements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Altomare C, Crespo AJC, Rogers BD, Dominguez JM, Gironella X, Gómez-Gesteira M (2014) Numerical modelling of armour block sea breakwater with smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Comput Struct 130:34–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Avalosse T, Rubin Y (1999) Analysis of mixing in co-rotating twin screw extruders through numerical simulation. In: SPE/ANTEC 1999 proceedings. CRC Press, pages 322+

  3. Bertrand F, Thibaulta F, Delamareb L, Tanguya PA (2003) Adaptive finite element simulations of fluid flow in twin-screw extruders. Comput Chem Eng 27(4):491–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bigio D, Wang K (1996) Scale-up rules for mixing in a non-intermeshing twin-screw extruder. Polym Eng Sci 36(23):2832–2839

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Carneiro OS, Caldeira G, Covas JA (1999) Flow patterns in twin-screw extruders. J Mater Process Technol 92–93:309–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chaniotis AK, Poulikakos D, Koumoutsakos P (2002) Remeshed smoothed particle hydrodynamics for the simulation of viscous and heat conducting flows. J Comput Phys 182:67–90

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Cheng H, Manas-Zloczower I (1998) Distributive mixing in conveying elements of a ZSK-53 co-rotating twin screw extruder. Polym Eng Sci 38(6):926–935

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cleary PW, Monaghan JJ (1999) Conduction modelling using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. J Comput Phys 148:227–264

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Cleary PW, Ha J, Prakash M, Nguyen T (2006) 3D SPH flow predictions and validation for high pressure die casting of automotive components. Appl Math Model 30:1406–1427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Cleary PW, Prakash M, Ha J, Stokes N, Scott C (2007) Smooth particle hydrodynamics: status and future potential. Prog Comput Fluid Dyn 7:70–90

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Cleary PW, Savage H, Ha J, Prakash M (2014) Flow analysis and validation of numerical modelling for a thin walled high pressure die casting using SPH. Comput Part Methods 1:229–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Cole R (1948) Underwater explosions. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Connelly R, Kokini J (2007) Examination of the mixing ability of single and twin screw mixers using 2d finite element method simulation with particle tracking. J Food Eng 79(3):956–969

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Cummins S, Silvester TB, Cleary PW (2012) Three dimensional wave impact on a rigid structure using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Int J Numer Methods Fluids 68:1471–1496

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. de Graaf RA, Woldringh DJ, Janssen LPBM (1999) Material distribution in the partially filled zone of a twin-screw extruder. Adv Polym Technol 18(4):295–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Eitzlmayr A, Khinast J (2015) Co-rotating twin-screw extruders: detailed analysis of conveying elements based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Part 1: hydrodynamics. Chem Eng Sci 134:861–879

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Eitzlmayr A, Khinast J (2015) Co-rotating twin-screw extruders: detailed analysis of conveying elements based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Part 2: mixing. Chem Eng Sci 134:880–886

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Ellero M, Tanner R (2005) Sph simulations of transient viscoelastic flows at low reynolds number. J Nonnewton Fluid Mech 132(1–3):61–72

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Gómez-Gesteira M, Dalrymple RA (2004) Using a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics method for wave impact on a tall structure. J Waterw Port Coast Ocean Eng 130(2):63–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ha J, Cleary PW (2000) Comparison of SPH simulations of high pressure die casting with those of Schmidt and Klein. J Cast Met Res 12:409–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Haller G (2001) Distinguished material surfaces and coherent structures in three-dimensional fluid flows. Physica D 149:248–277.

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. Hétu J-F, Ilinca F (2013) Immersed boundary finite elements for 3D flow simulations in twin-screw extruders. Comput Fluids 87:2–11

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  23. Hosseini SM, Manzari MT, Hannani SK (2007) A fully explicit three-step sph algorithm for simulation of non-newtonian fluid flow. Int J Numer Methods Heat Fluid Flow 17(7):715–735

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  24. Ishikawa T, Amano T, Kihara S, Funatsu K (2002) Flow patterns and mixing mechanisms in the screw mixing element of a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. Polym Eng Sci 42(5):925–939

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ishikawa T, Kihara S, Funatsu K (2001) 3-d non-isothermal flow field analysis and mixing performance evaluation of kneading blocks in a co-rotating twin srew extruder. Polym Eng Sci 41(5):840–849

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kajiwara T, Nagashima Y, Nakano Y, Funatsu K (1996) Numerical study of twin-screw extruders by three-dimensional flow analysis-development of analysis technique and evaluation of mixing performance for full flight screws. Polym Eng Sci 36(16):2142–2152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Kao SV, Allison GR (1984) Residence time distribution in a twin screw extruder. Polym Eng Sci 24(9):645–651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Kulasegaram S, Karihaloo BL, Ghanbari A (2011) Modelling the flow of self-compacting concrete. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 35(6):713–723

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  29. Laigle D, Lachamp P, Naaim M (2007) SPH-based numerical investigation of mudflow and other complex fluid flow interactions with structures. Comput Geosci 11(4):297–306

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  30. Lawal A, Kalyon DM (1995) Mechanisms of mixing in single and co-rotating twin screw extruders. Polym Eng Sci 35(17):1325–1338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Monaghan JJ, Kos A, Issa N (2003) Fluid motion generated by impact. J Waterw Port Coast Ocean Eng 129(6):250–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Monaghan JJ (1994) Simulating free surface flows with SPH. J Comput Phys 110(2):399–406

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  33. Monaghan JJ (2005) Smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Rep Prog Phys 68(8):1703–1759

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  34. Morris JP, Fox PJ, Zhu Y (1997) Modeling low Reynolds number incompressible flows using SPH. J Comput Phys 136:214

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  35. Rios AC, Gramann PJ, Osswald TA (1998) Comparative study of mixing in corotating twin screw extruders using computer simulation. Adv Polym Technol 17(2):107–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Robinson M, Cleary P, Monaghan J (2008) Analysis of mixing in a twin-cam mixer using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. AIChE J 8(54):1987–1998

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Robinson M, Cleary PW (2011) The influence of cam geometry and operating conditions on chaotic mixing of viscous fluids in a twin cam mixer. AIChE J 57:581–598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Robinson M, Cleary PW (2012) Flow and mixing performance in helical ribbon mixers. Chem Eng Sci 84:382–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Rodriguez-Paz MX, Bonet J (2004) A corrected smooth particle hydrodynamics method for the simulation of debris flows. Numer Methods Partial Differ Equ 20(1):140–163

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  40. Sbalzarini IF, Walther JH, Bergdorf M, Hieber SE, Kotsalis EM, Koumoutsakos P (2006) PPM: a highly efficient parallel particle mesh library for the simulation of continuum systems. J Comput Phys 215:566–588

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  41. Shadden SC, Lekien F, Marsden JE (2005) Definition and properties of Lagrangian coherent structures from finite-time Lyapunov exponents in two-dimensional aperiodic flows. Physica D 212:271–304

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  42. Shamekhi A, Sadeghy K, Bahrami MN, Naei MH (2008) Using mesh free method for numerical simulation of non-newtonian fluid flow over a step. J Soc Rheol Jpn 36(1):19–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Shao S, Lo E (2003) Incompressible sph method for simulating newtonian and non-newtonian flows with a free surface. Adv Water Resour 26(7):787–800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Sobhani H, Anderson PD, Meijer HHE, Ghoreishy MHR, Razavi-Nouri M (2013) Non-isothermal modeling of a non-newtonian fluid flow in a twin screw extruder using the fictitious domain method. Macromol Theory Simul 22(9):462–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Valette R, Vergnes B, Coupez T (2008) Multiscale simulation of mixing processes using 3d-parallel, fluid-structure interaction techniques. Int J Mater Form 1:1131–1134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Van Der Goot AJ, Pooiwer O, Janssen LPBM (1998) Determination of the degree of fill in a counter-rotating twin screw extruder. Polym Eng Sci 38(7):1193–1198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Van Der Goot AJ, Poorter O, Janssen LPBM (1998) Determination of the degree of fill in a counter-rotating twin screw extruder. Polym Eng Sci 38(7):1193–1198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Veen D, Gourlay T (2012) A combined strip theory and smoothed particle hydrodynamics approach for estimating slamming loads on a ship in head seas. Ocean Eng 43:64–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Wittek P, Pereira GG, Emin A, Cleary PW (2018) Analysis of flow in an extruder with a kneading element using SPH. Chem Eng Sci 187:256–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Yakutovich MV, Newton CJP, Cleaver DJ (2009) Mesh-free simulation of complex LCD geometries. Mol Cryst Liq Cryst 502(1):245–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Matt Sinnott for his assistance in constructing the CAD models of the extruder. Martin Robinson gratefully acknowledges research support from the EPSRC Cross-Disciplinary Interface Programme (EP/I017909/1).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Wolfson Building, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QD, UK

    Martin Robinson

  2. CSIRO Data61, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC, 3169, Australia

    Paul W. Cleary

Authors
  1. Martin Robinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul W. Cleary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul W. Cleary.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by the author.

Informed consent

No individual participants were included in the study so there are no subjects for which informed consent requirements arise.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Robinson, M., Cleary, P.W. Effect of geometry and fill level on the transport and mixing behaviour of a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Comp. Part. Mech. 6, 227–247 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40571-018-0210-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40571-018-0210-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation