Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.48, No.6, 1177-1182, 2008
Modeling of three-dimensional flow and heat transfer in polystyrene foam extrusion dies
A three-dimensional mathematical model was developed to investigate the nonisothermal, non-Newtonian polymer flow through the dies used in the polystyrene foam extrusion process. The model, based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, Polyflow, allowed for the shear rate and temperature dependence of the shear viscosity of the blowing agent laden polystyrene melt. The model also accounted for viscous heating. The shear viscosity of the polystyrene-blowing agent mixture was measured experimentally at several temperatures. The model was used to calculate pressure, flow, and temperature distributions in two different dies used for industrial-scale extrusion of polystyrene foams. The article presents a selection of computed results to illustrate the effect of die design on uniformity of flow at the die exit, the overall pressure drop in the die, relative magnitudes of pressure drop in the land section versus the rest of the die, and temperature distribution in the die.