The Role of Calender Gap in Barrel and Screw Wear in Counterrotating Twin Screw Extruders

Abstract

It has been known in the industrial sector that in closely intermeshing counterrotating twin screw extruders, large separating forces develop in the calender gap, which push the screws towards the barrel wall. The result is significant wear in the region defined by 30 degrees- and 60 degrees-degree angles from the vertical. In the present investigation, pressures were measured around the barrel in extrusion of two rigid PVC resins in a laboratory extruder of 55 mm diameter and the forces on the screw core were determined. Numerical flow simulations were also carried out using the power-law viscosity parameters of the resins. From the experimental results, it was determined that the resultant forces are in the 30 degree angle direction, and from the computer simulations, the angle is between 18 degrees and 25 degrees. It is argued that the resultant force angle will be somewhat larger in large diameter extruders, due to the additional contribution of gravity.