Non-Isothermal modeling of a non-Newtonian fluid flow in a twin screw extruder using the fictitious domain method

In this study, using a developed mathematical model, the non-isothermal behavior of a non-Newtonian fluid flow in the conveying elements of an intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder (TSE) is simulated based on the combination of mixed finite elements and fictitious domain methods. The flow equations are solved employing the standard Galerkin method and a streamline-upwind/Petrov–Galerkin technique is used in the solution scheme of the energy equation to reduce numerical oscillation. This model is combined with the Carreau rheological model to solve governing equations of continuity, momentum, and energy in a 3D Cartesian coordinate system. Using a developed mathematical model, the velocity and pressure fields are simulated for a non-isothermal flow in a co-rotating TSE. The shear rate distribution as a criterion for viscous dissipation and also the temperature distribution is calculated based on the simulated flow fields. The applicability of this model is verified by the comparison of experimentally measured pressures and mass flow rates with the simulation results for a high-density polyethylene melt. This comparison shows a good correlation between experimental data and model predictions.

[1]  Patrick Patrick Anderson,et al.  A combined fictitious domain/adaptive meshing method for fluid–structure interaction in heart valves , 2004 .

[2]  Andrew N. Hrymak,et al.  Numerical simulation of pressure and velocity profiles in kneading elements of a co‐rotating twin screw extruder , 2000 .

[3]  Vincent Legat,et al.  Parametric Study of the Mixing Efficiency in a Kneading Block Section of a Twin-screw Extruder , 2004 .

[4]  T. Hughes,et al.  A new finite element formulation for computational fluid dynamics: II. Beyond SUPG , 1986 .

[5]  Vahid Nassehi,et al.  Practical Aspects of Finite Element Modelling of Polymer Processing , 2002 .

[6]  F. Baaijens.  A fictitious domain/mortar element method for fluid-structure interaction , 2001 .

[7]  Philippe A. Tanguy,et al.  Adaptive finite element simulations of fluid flow in twin-screw extruders , 2003, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[8]  T. Hughes,et al.  Streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin formulations for convection dominated flows with particular emphasis on the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations , 1990 .

[9]  Xianming Zhang,et al.  Numerical simulation and experimental validation of mixing performance of kneading discs in a twin screw extruder , 2009 .

[10]  Philippe A. Tanguy,et al.  A three-dimensional fictitious domain method for incompressible fluid flow problems , 1997 .

[11]  V. Nassehi,et al.  Modeling the transient flow of rubber compounds in the dispersive section of an internal mixer with slip‐stick boundary conditions , 1997 .

[12]  Patrick J. Roache,et al.  Symbolic manipulation and computational fluid dynamics , 1985 .

[13]  Patrick Patrick Anderson,et al.  Modelling of polymer fluid flow and residence time distribution in twin screw extruder using fictitious domain method , 2011 .

[14]  Th. Avalosse,et al.  Non-Isothermal Modeling of Co-Rotating and Contra-Rotating Twin Screw Extruders , 2002 .

[15]  Y. Jaluria,et al.  Numerical simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer in twin-screw extruders for non-Newtonian materials , 1995 .

[16]  I. Manas‐Zloczower,et al.  Study of mixing efficiency in kneading discs of co‐rotating twin‐screw extruders , 1997 .

[17]  Jacques Periaux,et al.  A distributed Lagrange multiplier/fictitious domain method for flows around moving rigid bodies : Application to particulate flow , 1999 .

[18]  A. Huerta,et al.  Finite Element Methods for Flow Problems , 2003 .

[19]  Kazumori Funatsu,et al.  3-D non-isothermal flow field analysis and mixing performance evaluation of kneading blocks in a co-rotating twin srew extruder , 2001 .

[20]  M. Ghoreishy,et al.  Finite element analysis of a thermoplastic elastomer melt flow in the metering region of a single screw extruder , 2005 .

[21]  K. Min,et al.  Numerical nonisothermal flow analysis of non‐Newtonian fluid in a nonintermeshing counter‐rotating twin screw extruder , 1994 .

[22]  I. Manas‐Zloczower,et al.  Distributive mixing in conveying elements of a ZSK-53 co-rotating twin screw extruder , 1998 .

[23]  Carsten Conzen,et al.  Simulation of the non-isothermal flow in a twin-screw extruder , 2007 .

[24]  M. L. Booy,et al.  Geometry of fully wiped twin-screw equipment , 1978 .