Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.41, No.9, 1636-1643, 2001
The effect of the feed section groove taper angle on the performance of a single-screw extruder
A new mechanism is described that allows adjustment of the groove geometry in grooved feed extruders. This mechanism enables efficient, continuous and independent change of the groove geometry during the extrusion process. The patented solution of the activated grooved feed section enables one to change the number of grooves, taper angle and, connected with it, groove depth. The paper contains the graphical presentation of the selected results of experimental studies of autothermal extrusion of a medium density polyethylene in an extruder with the grooved feed section in which the groove taper angle, and thus groove depth, was changed during the extrusion process. The influence of changing the groove taper angle in the range from 0 to 5.236 x 10(-2) rad and screw speeds ranging from 177 to 279 rev/min on extruder output was studied. The energy efficiency of the extruder was studied as well.