Numerical simulation of energy consumption in the melt conveying section of eccentric rotor extruders

Abstract

AbstractThe polymer melt flow field in the melt conveying section of the eccentric rotor extruder was performed by the Fluid Dynamics software POLYFLOW. The rotor torque and the melt volume flow rate at each time were obtained by simulation analysis, and the energy consumption and the output in one cycle were computed with the support of the simulated data. Eventually, the specific energy consumption of the eccentric rotor, which was regarded as energy consumption evaluation index in the melt conveying process, could be calculated. The results showed that for different parameters, the eccentricity had the greatest impact on the specific energy consumption. With the increase in eccentricity, the energy consumption per unit melt transported decreased, and the extrusion output increased. The same tendency occurred for changing the pitch of the eccentric rotor, but the effect on the specific energy consumption was slight. When increasing the rotor speed and the rotor radius, the specific energy consumption increased. Experimental and theoretical methods were applied to compare the error of the simulation data under the same conditions, and the numerical simulation results were verified.