A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion
The field of simulation and optimisation of dynamic mixing elements (‘mixers’) is lacking good methods for spatially resolved validation and flow visualisation. For this reason, the authors present an experimental setup that gives better insight into the thermal, distributive and dispersive mixing p...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/10/2234 |
| _version_ | 1797552335528919040 |
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| author | Christian Hopmann Malte Schön Maximilian Mathias Reul Martin Facklam |
| author_facet | Christian Hopmann Malte Schön Maximilian Mathias Reul Martin Facklam |
| author_sort | Christian Hopmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The field of simulation and optimisation of dynamic mixing elements (‘mixers’) is lacking good methods for spatially resolved validation and flow visualisation. For this reason, the authors present an experimental setup that gives better insight into the thermal, distributive and dispersive mixing process by measuring melt temperatures upstream of the mixer and injecting a secondary, visually distinguishable stream of melt upstream. Running extrusion trials for a polyethylene on both a rhomboidal and a Maddock mixer, temperatures, gray scale distribution of images of extrudates and size of dispersed domains in incompatible polystyrene were measured. It was found that temperatures upstream and downstream of the mixer can be quantified. This was used to validate a simulation of thermal mixing. In distributive mixing, good agreement with simulation and an excellent spatial resolution were observed, thereby identifying an area of the rhomboidal mixer in need of geometric improvement. For dispersive mixing, a trend coherent with extrusion theory was found. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:58:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2ecb6b7835094f0da8d3eebcb656cfc2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:58:36Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-2ecb6b7835094f0da8d3eebcb656cfc22023-11-20T15:24:43ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602020-09-011210223410.3390/polym12102234A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw ExtrusionChristian Hopmann0Malte Schön1Maximilian Mathias Reul2Martin Facklam3Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and Craft at RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201, 50274 Aachen, GermanyInstitute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and Craft at RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201, 50274 Aachen, GermanyInstitute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and Craft at RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201, 50274 Aachen, GermanyInstitute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and Craft at RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201, 50274 Aachen, GermanyThe field of simulation and optimisation of dynamic mixing elements (‘mixers’) is lacking good methods for spatially resolved validation and flow visualisation. For this reason, the authors present an experimental setup that gives better insight into the thermal, distributive and dispersive mixing process by measuring melt temperatures upstream of the mixer and injecting a secondary, visually distinguishable stream of melt upstream. Running extrusion trials for a polyethylene on both a rhomboidal and a Maddock mixer, temperatures, gray scale distribution of images of extrudates and size of dispersed domains in incompatible polystyrene were measured. It was found that temperatures upstream and downstream of the mixer can be quantified. This was used to validate a simulation of thermal mixing. In distributive mixing, good agreement with simulation and an excellent spatial resolution were observed, thereby identifying an area of the rhomboidal mixer in need of geometric improvement. For dispersive mixing, a trend coherent with extrusion theory was found.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/10/2234dispersive mixingdistributive mixingdynamic mixing elementsflow visualisationthermal mixingvalidation |
| spellingShingle | Christian Hopmann Malte Schön Maximilian Mathias Reul Martin Facklam A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion Polymers dispersive mixing distributive mixing dynamic mixing elements flow visualisation thermal mixing validation |
| title | A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion |
| title_full | A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion |
| title_fullStr | A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion |
| title_short | A Method for the Validation of Simulated Mixing Characteristics of Two Dynamic Mixers in Single-Screw Extrusion |
| title_sort | method for the validation of simulated mixing characteristics of two dynamic mixers in single screw extrusion |
| topic | dispersive mixing distributive mixing dynamic mixing elements flow visualisation thermal mixing validation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/10/2234 |
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