Throughput-Energy Diagram

Typical applications for products and processes with high and low torque requirement are shown in Fig. 14.9. Typical uses of high torques are reinforcing and alloying of engineering plastics and compounding and pelletizing of polyolefin powders into polyolefin pellets, or direct extrusion of films. Low torques are used for products that are shear-sensitive or difficult to feed, such as those often found in the chemical/food/pharmaceutical industries. 

Products that are difficult to feed powder coating fines, silica, highly filled plastics 

Shear-sensitive products hollow glass, biopolymers, food/feed, pharmaceuticals dehydrating rubber 

Chemical applications Sealants, adhesives, insulation films, bulk catalyst carriers 

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Even without software support, the process engineer can still obtain certain predictions by a precise analysis of the processes involved. In this case, process-specific diagrams are very helpful. These illustrate, for example, the specific energy input (Fig. 11.9) or other quality-related characteristics as a function of viscosity, throughput, speed, or discharge pressure. With the aid of enthalpy (Fig. 11.10) as a physical, process-independent value, initial forecasts can be obtained as to the energy that will be required to melt a resin and to extrude at a specified end temperature. 

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