Numerical Analysis of the New Concept of Screw of an Extruder for Polymer Materials

Abstract

The article introduces an innovative concept of a screw of an extruder used for granulation of polymer materials. Three construction solutions were introduced, differing in the construction parameters of the screw. The scope of the research included the numerical strength-thermal analysis of the introduced construction solutions of the screw. The analysis was conducted using the finite element method. Numerical calculations were a thermally coupled FEM analysis, posing a geometrically and thermally nonlinear problem. The obtained results confirmed the sufficient strength of the structure of the screw, subjected to both the pressure caused by the transport of polymer granules as well as the temperature generated by the friction of the granules on the surface of the screw. The numerical tool applied in the research was the commercial program ABAQUS®.