Twin-Shaft Mixers’ Mechanical Behavior Numerical Simulations of the Mix and Phases

Maria Cristina Valigi,Silvia Logozzo,Luca Landi,Luca Galletti,Claudio Braccesi

doi:10.3390/machines7020039

Maria Cristina Valigi, Silvia Logozzo + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/machines7020039

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Journal: Machines	Publication Date: Jun 7, 2019
Citations: 14	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Perugia

Abstract

In this paper, the mechanical behavior of concrete twin-shaft mixers is analyzed in terms of power consumption and exchanged forces between the mixture and the mixing organs during the mixing cycle. The mixing cycle is divided into two macro phases, named transient and regime phase, where the behavior of the mixture is modeled in two different ways. A force estimation and power consumption prediction model are presented for both the studied phases and they are validated by experimental campaigns. From the application of this model to different machines and by varying different design parameters, the optimization of the power consumption of the concrete twin-shaft mixers is analyzed. Results of this work can be used to increase productivity and profitability of concrete mixers and reduce energy waste in the industries which involve mixing processes.

Highlights

Nowadays the environmental impact is an important industrial focus, companies producing machines must improve product quality and reduce energy waste at the same time
The paper focuses on the concrete twin-shaft mixers and on a proposed mathematical model able
The paper focuses on the concrete twin-shaft mixers and on a proposed mathematical model to evaluate the power consumption as a function of the designand parameters of the mixers

Summary

Introduction

Nowadays the environmental impact is an important industrial focus, companies producing machines must improve product quality and reduce energy waste at the same time. To remain competitive, this objective must necessarily be achieved using fewer resources, less time, less money and paying attention to energy consumption. This objective must necessarily be achieved using fewer resources, less time, less money and paying attention to energy consumption In this scenario, the development of smart and flexible models able to evaluate the influence of the project parameters on the consumed energy can be very useful in order to optimize the machine productivity reducing the absorbed energy. There are many studies in the field of mixing machines involving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses for many types of mixers, such as static mixers [1,2] passive mixers [3], dough kneaders [4], stirred tank reactors [5,6], and continuous mixers [7,8].

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