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Spiral Die Yilmaz2014
Spiral Die Yilmaz2014
1007/s12221-014-0084-4
Abstract: Several restrictions which are related to extruder machinery and nature of process material exist in the design of
plastic extrusion dies. To this respect, it is very important to consider design criteria and limitations in order to operate
extrusion dies at desired production rate and temperature. In the current study, flow field characteristics through a conical
spiral mandrel die are analysed in detail by 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The effects of operating
conditions such as production rate and temperature on pressure drop through the spiral mandrel die and the occurence of melt
fracture are investigated. The temperature dependent viscosity versus shear rate data for grade QB79P (CarmelTech)
polypropylene (PP) melt under study are measured by use of rotational and capillary rheometers. Stress terms in the
momentum equations are modeled by Generalized Newtonian Fluid (GNF) Model. For this, Bird-Carreau Model is employed
as the viscosity model for the polymer melt. 3D CFD analyses provide comprehensive data and understanding with regard to
flow behaviour through complex extrusion dies.
Keywords: Conical spiral mandrel die, Polymer extrusion, CFD, Generalized newtonian fluid model
84
Polymer Flow through a Conical Spiral Extrusion Die Fibers and Polymers 2014, Vol.15, No.1 85
the second group of design methods, electrical network melt fracture. A comprehensive analysis is carried out on the
approach is employed for obtaining flow distribution in flow field characteristics through the die in terms of low
extrusion dies [1,6,7,9]. In this method, flow channels of limit of wall shear rate, upper limit of shear stress, flow
extrusion die are divided into control volumes and analytical uniformity inside the die and pressure drop through the die
expressions in [18,20] are used for flow through these which are the crucial restrictions for the design of spiral
control volumes which have simple shapes such as circular mandrel dies.
and rectangular. Flow distribution through extrusion dies can
be determined by solving the resultant system of equations. Materials
The die performance can be optimized by changing the
geometric parameters until satisfactory flow distribution is A polypropylene random copolymer QB79P from CarmelTech
achieved. Analytical approaches and electrical network methods with a melt flow rate (MFR) of 0.28 g/10 min (230 oC, 2.16 kg)
are both relatively easy and fast methods to implement die was used in the present work to investigate the flow field
design. Hence, these techniques are still very useful for the characteristics in the conical spiral mandrel die. The density
preliminary die design. However, a full three-dimensional was measured by capillary rheometer according to ASTM
simulation of flow in spiral mandrel dies is required for an D3835-08 standard for the PP melt and by Archimedes'
accurate analysis and obtaining flow field characteristics in principle according to ASTM B962-08 standard for the solid
detail. In contrast to analytical and other simplified approaches, PP. The densities of the material at room temperature, 210 oC,
nonisothermal processes and some rheological characteristics 230 oC, 260 oC are 910, 790, 783 and 772 kg/m3, respectively.
of polymer melts such as viscoelasticity, elongational viscosity Shear viscosity versus shear rate data for the polymer melt
can be considered in CFD simulations [12-15]. Zatloukal et were measured by use of an Anton-Paar Physica MCR 301
al. [12] performed CFD simulations for a flat spiral mandrel model rotational rheometer with a 25 mm diameter parallel
die. When the viscoelastic properties of the polymer melt are plate geometry and a capillary rheometer using capillary dies
included in numerical simulations, velocity distribution at of 10, 20 and 25 mm lengths with 1 mm diameter hole for
the die exit is not changed. Hence, Zatloukal et al. [12] three temperature values. The Bagley and Rabinowitsch
concluded that incorporating only shear thinning behavior of corrections [17] are applied to the capillary rheometer raw
the polymer melt used in their study is satisfactory from the viscosity data. The Bird-Carreau viscosity model (equation
point of view of velocity distribution at the die exit. (10) parameters of the material are given in Table 1.
Skabrahova et al. [13] studied effects of non-symmetrical η0
inputs of temperature and mass flow rate prior to the spiral η(γ· ) = ------------------------------------
- (1)
[ 1 + ( λγ· ) ]
n ( 1−n )/2
die on velocity and temperature distribution at the die exit.
The die performance was affected negatively from feeding Here η and γ· are shear viscosity in Pa.s and shear rate in
of the spiral die entrance non-uniformly. Sun and Gupta [14] sec-1, respectively. η0, λ and n are zero shear viscosity in
carried out finite element method (FEM) simulations for Pa.s, relaxation time in sec and dimensionless power-law
polymer melt flow through a cylindrical spiral mandrel die index of polymer melt, respectively.
with star distribution system. In their study, the effects of
elongational viscosity on flow field characteristics were Die Geometry
analyzed. It was concluded that including the elongational
viscosity of polymer melt in CFD simulations resulted in an The geometric parameters of the spiral die section in
increase in pressure drop through the die. On the other hand, Figure 1 and Figure 2 are determined by use of analytical
velocity distribution was not affected. Wanli and Xinhou method suggested by Rauwendaal [7]. The curvature of the
[15] analyzed the effects of some geometric parameters of a spiral die is neglected in this method. Flow is assumed to be
coat-hanger die on the die performance with respect to exit isothermal and polymer melt viscosity obeys the power law
velocity distribution and residence time by non-isothermal model. Flow through the spiral die is split into two parts. The
CFD simulations. Huang et al. [16] performed FEM simulations first part flows through spiral groove and the second part
for a coat-hanger die which was designed by using an flows through annular channel as flow leaks from spiral
analytical method introduced in literature [2]. It is shown grooves. It is assumed that these two split flows do not affect
that the analytical design method was successful in terms of each other at the interface. Flow through the spiral groove is
flow balancing at the die exit. Nevertheless, stagnation zones
in the die and the process material effect on the flow Table 1. The Bird-Carreau model parameters of the polymer melt
uniformity could only be predicted by CFD simulations. 210 oC 230 oC 260 oC
In the present study, the effects of production rate and
ηo (Pa) 42655 33916 18587
temperature on the design of the conical spiral die in Figure 1
are investigated by FEM simulations with respect to maximum λ (s) 2.13 2.71 2.08
pressure to be supplied by extruder and limit shear stress for n (−) 0.328 0.370 0.390
86 Fibers and Polymers 2014, Vol.15, No.1 Oktay Yilmaz et al.
Table 2. The mass flow rates through the conical spiral mandrel die
in CFD simulations
.
Mass flow rate, m (kg/h)
29.2
58.5
87.7
116.9
146.1
175.4
204.6
233.8
Figure 6. Deviation of the local velocity at the spiral die exit with
respect to the average velocity at this cross section.
∆P = Rm·
n
(5)
Here, n is the power-law index of the polymer melt for
shear viscosity at process temperature as seen in Table 1. R
is the flow resistance of the spiral mandrel die and is
Figure 9. Shear stress distribution at the die walls. dependent on the die geometry, the process material and
temperature. This relation is of the same form as that for the
simple shaped dies such as circular, slit or annular channels
present study, melt fracture limit of the PP (grade: QB79P) is
as suggested in [18]. The pressure drop is proportional nearly
determined by capillary rheometer measurements and its
one third power of the flow rate. For process temperature of
value is 112000 Pa. The shear stress distribution at the die
210 oC, when the mass flow rate is increased from 29.2 kg/h
walls is shown in Figure 9. The wall shear stresses in the
to 233.8 kg/h, the pressure drop through the die increases
blue-circled regions (around the spiral die exit and corners in
from 101 bar to 202 bar. This is only two times increase in
the flow domain) in Figure 9 exceed the melt fracture limit
the pressure drop against 8 times increase in the flow rate. In
of the PP under study. The wall shear stress values of
contrast, pressure increase will be 8 times for an 8 times
complex flow channels such as corners cannot be calculated
increase in flow rate in laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid.
with analytical approaches several of which can be found in
This is very beneficial for the point of view design of the
[18] developed for the design of extrusion dies. Hence, CFD
plastic extrusion dies because pressure drop does not change
analyses are to be carried out in order to examine the flow
too much in a broad range of production rates.
field characteristics of polymer melts in complex flow channels.
The maximum shear stress at the die walls is given for
Besides, the wall shear stresses are relatively high in the
various mass flow rates and the processing temperatures in
annular channel between spiral grooves due to smaller cross
Table 3. The risk of flow instability increases for low
sections in Figure 9. High wall shear stresses at walls can
temperatures and high mass flow rates as can be seen from
only be reduced by decreasing the production rate or increasing
CFD simulation results in Table 3. As the temperature decreases,
the die temperature for an existing die design, but in this
the viscosity of the polymer melt and resulting maximum
case production cost increases. Thus, the cross sections of
the die should be determined carrefully, in order to operate Table 3. Maximum wall shear stress through the die for different
the die at the desired temperature and production rate process temperatures and mass flow rates
without having any process limitations.
Maximum wall shear stress (Pa)
The Effects of Extruder and Process Material Limita- Mass flow rate (kg/h) 210 oC 230 oC 260 oC
tions on Operating Conditions of Extrusion Dies 29.2 085316 063300 42358
CFD simulations are performed for different mass flow 58.5 109060 082827 56325
rates given in Table 2 and for temperatures of 210, 230 and 87.7 125130* 096303 66229
260 oC. The throughput-pressure drop curves of the conical 116.9 137618* 107304 74064
spiral mandrel die are shown in Figure 10 for different 146.1 148265* 116546* 80979
temperatures. Power-law model are fitted for each experimental 175.4 157952* 124537* 87099
data set and the related model parameters are given in Figure 204.6 165320* 132046* 92350
10. The relation between the pressure drop through the conical 233.8 173296* 138604* 97172
spiral mandrel die and mass flow rate is of the following
*Maximum wall shear stress exceeds the limit shear stress for melt
form. fracture.
90 Fibers and Polymers 2014, Vol.15, No.1 Oktay Yilmaz et al.
wall shear stress increase. Therefore, the die must be operated production rates with relatively small changes in extruder
with a high temperature in order to reach high production power.
rates. In this case, operating cost increases due to increasing
energy consumption for additional heating. Consequently, Acknowledgements
designing of flow channels of the spiral mandrel die by taking
into consideration of material property (melt fracture) is of We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of
critical importance for extrusion with desired production rate Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology of the
at a specific processing temperature. Turkish Republic and Mir R&D Ltd. Co., through grant
number: 00309.STZ.2008-2.
Conclusion
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