Screw speed

The temperature of the melt downstream from the breaker plate may exceed the front barrel temperature, because of the mechanical work transmitted to the resin by the screw it varies with screw speed and flow rate. The melt temperature is measured by a thermocouple inserted into the melt downstream from the breaker plate. A hooded exhaust placed over the extmder die and feed hopper removes decomposition products when the extmdate is heated. 

The drag flow or volumetric conveying capabiUty, for the plastic melt is dependent only on screw speed. A/, and the geometry, M, of the screw ... 

The pressure flow is independent of screw speed, except as the latter affects the viscosity of the melt. 

A web of molten plastic is pulled from the die into the nip between the top and middle roUs. At the nip, there is a very small rolling bank of melt. Pressure between the roUs is adjusted to produce sheet of the proper thickness and surface appearance. The necessary amount of pressure depends on the viscosity. For a given width, thickness depends on the balance between extmder output rate and the take-off rate of the pull roUs. A change in either the extmder screw speed or the puU-roU speed affects thickness. A constant thickness across the sheet requires a constant thickness of melt from the die. The die is equipped with bolts for adjusting the die-gap opening and with an adjustable choker bar or dam located inside the die a few centimeters behind the die opening. The choker bar restricts flow in the center of the die, helping to maintain a uniform flow rate across the entire die width. 

Extmsion accounts for about 30% of nylon produced and is used in various processes (24). Nylons can be extmded on conventional equipment having the following characteristics. The extmder drive should be capable of continuous variation over a range of screw speeds. Nylon often requires a high torque at low screw speeds typical power requirements would be a 7.5-kW motor for a 30-mm machine or 25-kW for 60-mm. A nylon screw is necessary and should not be cooled. Recommended compression ratios ate between 3.5 1 and 4 1 for nylon-6,6 and nylon-6 between 3 1 and 3.5 1 for nylon-11 and nylon-12. The length-to-diameter ratio, T/D should be greater than 15 1 at least 20 1 is recommended for nylon-6,6, and 25 1 for nylon-12. 

Mould temperature Injection pressure Screw back pressure Screw speed Curing time... 

As plastics can have quite different viscosities, they will tend to behave differently during extrusion. Fig. 4.3 shows some typical outputs possible with different plastics in extruders with a variety of barrel diameters. This diagram is to provide a general idea of the ranking of materials - actual outputs may vary 25% from those shown, depending on temperatures, screw speeds, etc. 

Equation (4.12) enables the die characteristics to be plotted on Fig. 4.12 and the intersection of the two characteristics is the operating point of the extruder. This plot is useful in that it shows the effect which changes in various parameters will have on output. For example, increasing screw speed, N, will move the extruder characteristic upward. Similarly an increase in the die radius, R, would increase the slope of the die characteristic and in both cases the extruder output would increase. 

Max. screw speed = 100 rev/min, screw diameter — 40 mm flight depth (metering zone) = 3 mm. 

Example 4.2 A single screw extruder is to be used to manufacture a nylon rod 5 mm in diameter at a production rate of 1.5 m/min. Using the following information, calculate the required screw speed. 

In a particular extruder screw the channel depth is 2.4 mm, the screw diameter is 50 mm, the screw speed is 100 rev/min, the flight angle is 17° 42 and the pressure varies linearly over the screw length of 1000 mm from zero at entry to 20 MN/m at the die entry. Estimate... 

If the extruder is coupled to a die which is used to produce two laces for subsequent granulation, calculate the output from the extruder/die combination when the screw speed is 100 rev/min. Each of the holes in the lace die is 1.5 mm diameter and 10 mm long and the viscosity of the melt may be taken as 400 Ns/m. ... 

In another case where the twin-screw extruder was used, the rubber and plastic were melt mixed with all ingredients in a similar manner as described in blend compositions for static vulcanizations. The product was then dumped, cooled, and granulated. The premixed granules were then fed into a twin-screw extruder where a very narrow temperature profile was maintained with a relative high compression (2 1), and the screw speed was adjusted depending on the final torque and the flow behavior of the extruded stock. The stock was cured by shear force and temperature enforced by the twin-screw extruder. The dynamically crosslinked blend was taken out in the form of a strip or solid rod to determine the... 

Figure 1 SEM photographs of fractured surfaces of TLCP-EPDM blends (x 1000). Screw speed was 10 rpm. (A) Straight die, (B) 7.5° converging die, (C) 45° converging die. Source Ref. 33.

Prior to blending, the LCP was dried at 155°C for 5 h. The melt blending of the materials was carried out with a Berstorff ZE 25 x 33D corotating twin-screw extruder at a melt temperature of 290°C, with a screw speed of 200 rpm, and an output of 6.4 kg/h. The extrudate was immediately quenched in a water bath and repelletized. 

Shear rate When, a melt moves in a direction parallel to a fixed surface, such as with a screw barrel, mold runner and cavity, or die wall, it is subject to a shearing force. As the screw speed increases, so does the shear rate, with potential advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of an increased shear rate are a less viscous melt and easier flow. This shear-thinning action is required to move the melt. 

Time, pressure, and temperature controls indicate whether the performance requirements of a molded product are being met. The time factors include the rate of injection, duration of ram pressure, time of cooling, time of piastication, and screw RPM. Pressure requirement factors relate to injection high and low pressure cycles, back pressure on the extruder screw, and pressure loss before the plastic enters the cavity which can be caused by a variety of restrictions in the mold. The temperature control factors are in the mold (cavity and core), barrel, and nozzle, as well as the melt temperature from back pressure, screw speed, frictional heat, and so on in the plasticator. 

Vitamins, microorganisms, and enzymes are susceptible to inactivation or destruction in an extruder. Removal of microorganisms and enzymes is desirable in most cases, but vitamin retention is important for nutritional considerations (Bjorck and Asp, 1983). Survival of vitamins increases if moisture is increased and if temperature, screw speed, and specific energy input decrease (Killeit, 1994). Vitamin loss may be compensated by adding more than the necessary amount of preextrusion or by applying a vitamin coating, filling, or spray postextrusion. 

Calcium caseinate and butter oil have been extruded directly at 50-60% moisture levels to obtain a cheese analog with no surface water or fat (Cheftel et ah, 1992). The fat emulsification and melting ability increased with screw speed or barrel temperature. The texture of the extmded analogs was similar to those obtained by batch cooking and was affected by pH (Cheftel et ah, 1992) and emulsifying salts (Cavalier-Salou and Cheftel, 1991). The product can be used as adjimcts for hamburger, pizza, and sauces. 

Plunkett, A. and Ainsworth, P. (2007). The influence of barrel temperature and screw speed on the retention of L-ascorbic acid in an extruded rice based snack product. /. Food Eng. 78,1127-1133. 

These complex systems demand strict screw speed control for all the individual machines in the setup, to balance the extrusion characteristics of the different rubber compounds forming the multiunit component. 

The advantage of screw machines is that work done by the screw heats and plasticises the mix, under conditions which can be carefully regulated by jacket temperature, screw speed and back pressure. A natural rubber mix leaves the extruder section of the machine 20-30 °C higher than the jacket control temperature. 

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