DK2018946T3 - Blande- og æltemaskine til kontinuerlige bearbejdningsprocesser og fremgangsmåde til at udføre kontinuerlige bearbejdningsprocesser med en blande- og æltemaskine - Google Patents

Description

MIXING AND KNEADING MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUS PREPARATION PROCESSES AND METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT CONTINUOUS PREPARATION PROCESSES WITH A MIXING AND KNEADING MACHINE

The invention relates to a mixing and kneading machine for continuous processing, comprising a worm shaft rotating in a housing and simultaneously moving translationally. The invention further relates to a method for carrying out continuous processing by means of a mixing and kneading machine designed according to claim 1.

Mixing and kneading machines of the type in question are used in particular for processing bulk-like materials (powder, granules, flakes, etc.), plastic and/or paste-like masses. For example, they are used for processing viscoplastic masses, homogenisation and plasticising of plastics, the incorporation of fillers and reinforcing materials as well as the production of raw materials for the food, chemical, pharmaceutical and aluminium industries. Continuous venting, mixing and expansion operations are often also included. In some cases, the mixing and kneading machines are also used as reactors.

The working member of the mixing and kneading machine is usually formed as a so-called worm shaft, which transports the material to be processed forwards in the axial direction.

In conventional mixing and kneading machines, the working member executes a rotational movement only. Mixing and kneading machines are however also known in which the working member rotates and simultaneously moves translationally. Such a mixing and kneading machine is disclosed by US 3 458 894 A.

The movement sequence of the working member in this case is characterised in particular by the fact that the main shaft executes a rotation superimposed by a sinusoidal movement. This movement sequence enables so-called kneading pins or kneading teeth to be mounted on the housing side. The wound screw vane of the worm shaft is interrupted for this purpose, in order to form individual kneading or screw vanes. The screw vanes arranged on the main shaft and those installed on the housing side engage in one another, and thus produce the desired shearing/mixing and kneading functions in different process zones. Such mixing and kneading machines of the latter type are known to persons skilled in the art, in particular by the term Buss Kneader®.

Mixing and kneading machines of the above-mentioned type and for which the worm shaft diameter is up to 700 mm are known. The respective material flow rate in this case depends in particular on the worm shaft diameter, wherein the ratio of worm shaft outer diameter (Da) to worm shaft inner diameter (Di) Da/Di is usually approximately 1.5, while the ratio worm shaft outer diameter (Da) to hub (translationally moving component) (H) Da/H= approx. 6.7, and the ratio of partition (axial distance between the screw vanes) (T) to hub (H) T/H is in the region of 2. Depending on the size of the mixing and kneading machine, rotational speeds of 5 to 500 1/min are used.

The design of the mixing and kneading machines usually results from the principle of geometric similarity. Geometric similarity exists if the ratios Da/Di, Da/H and T/H are constant, independent of size.

Significant factors for the dispersion, mixing and homogenisation quality of the processed products are the melting temperature, dwelling time of the product in the processing chamber of the machine, the shear rate and the number of shear cycles in the melt-filled, screw-channel processing chamber.

For many processes, higher mixing, dispersion and homogenisation quality is achieved, the better the sequentially arranged process zones, such as feeding zone, melting zone, mixing and dispersing zone and venting zone, are matched in terms of conveying capacity, shear rate level and degree of filling. In the present state of the art of mixing and kneading technology, in standard processing, mean shear rates in the melt region of 15 to 150 1/s are usual, along with mean dwelling times of the products in the overall screw region of 30 to 600 s.

In conventional mixing and kneading machines, the mean shear rates have an upper limit due to the worm screw rotational speed and the ratio Da/Di. However, increasing shear rates can also result in higher specific values of the energy input, which can lead to unacceptably high melt temperatures. Along with large mean dwelling times of the product in the mixing and kneading machine, this can lead to quality-reducing product damage, particularly in terms of thermal degradation and cross-linking.

The invention addresses the problem of developing the mixing and kneading machine defined in the preamble of claim 1, in such a way that the efficiency thereof in terms of material throughput per unit time can be increased without significantly reducing the quality of the processed product.

This problem is solved by a mixing and kneading machine comprising the features described in the characterising part of claim 1.

Since the geometry of the mixing and kneading machine is selected such that the ratio of worm shaft outer diameter Da to worm shaft inner diameter Di is between 1.5 and 2.0, the ratio Da/H of worm shaft outer diameter Da to hub H is between 4 and 6, and the ratio T/H of partition T to hub H is between 1.3 and 2.5, the fundamental prerequisite for optimum efficiency of the machine in terms of the maximum product throughput is achieved. A mixing and kneading machine having the defined geometry is suitable, in a particularly preferred manner, for operating at rotational speeds exceeding 500 1/min. It is understood that the increase in the rotational speed can in principle also increase the product throughput.

The defined geometry ensures that the processing zones arranged sequentially in the axial direction, in particular the feeding zone, the melting zone, the mixing zone or mixing zones as well as the venting zone, can be optionally matched in terms of conveying capacity, shear rate level and fill level, so that quality enhancing mean shear rate ranges can be produced while simultaneously reducing the exposure time to temperature peaks in the product.

With the selected geometries according to the invention, the mixing and kneading machine can easily be operated at high screw rotational speeds, through which a higher production throughput per unit time can be achieved without an impermissible high specific energy input.

Preferred embodiments of the mixing and kneading machine are described in dependent claims 2 to 8. A further problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a method for carrying out continuous processing by means of mixing and kneading machines designed according to claim 1, by means of which the material throughput per unit time can be increased.

In order to solve the stated problem, the characterising part of claim 9 proposes that the worm shaft is operated with a rotational speed exceeding 500 1/min, in particular exceeding 800 1/min.

Through the increase in the worm shaft rotational speed as defined in claim 10, it is possible to greatly reduce the mean dwelling time of the products in the machine.

The reduced dwelling time of the products, of from 1 to 20 second, resulting from the higher screw rotational speeds and the higher product throughput, simultaneously reduces the tendency for thermal degradation or for cross-linking of the product.

Through the claimed embodiment of the mixing and kneading machine, further application areas are made available.

Below, the invention is explained in more detail by means of the drawings. They show: figure 1, a longitudinal section through a schematically illustrated mixing and kneading machine; figure 2, the geometric structure of a section of a worm shaft designed according to the invention; figure 3, the relative movement between a kneading pin and a conventional screw vane in schematic illustration and figure 4, throughput versus mean dwelling time in the mixing and kneading machine.

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through a schematically illustrated mixing and kneading machine 1. The mixing and kneading machine 1 comprises a working member enclosed by a housing 2 in the form of a worm shaft 3, which is provided with a plurality of spiral running screw vanes 4. Such a mixing and kneading machine 1 is also referred to as a single-screw extruder, because the machine comprises only one worm shaft. The screw vanes 4 of the worm shaft 3 are interrupted in the peripheral direction, in order to provide axial passage openings for kneading pins 5 arranged on the housing 2. In this way, in addition to the actual rotation, the worm shaft 3 can also achieve an axial, i.e. translational, movement. The processing chamber 6 is formed between the inner side of the housing 2 and the worm shaft 3, which normally comprises a plurality of processing zones 8-11 arranged sequentially in the axial direction. In the present example, the mixing and kneading machine 1 comprises, for example, a feeding zone 8, a melting zone 9, a mixing and dispersing zone 10, as well as a venting zone 11. On the inlet side, the mixing and kneading machine 1 is provided with a funnel 12, while on the output side an outlet opening 13 is provided, via which the processed material can exit in the arrowed direction 14. The basic structure of such a mixing and kneading machine is known for example from CH 278,575. Although, in the example shown, kneading pins 5 are only illustrated in the region of the mixing and dispersing zone 10, kneading pins 5 can of course also be arranged in other zones as required.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the geometric structure of a section (module) of a worm shaft 3 designed according to the invention, wherein the shaft geometry for the worm shaft module 3a illustrated here is not given to scale. The worm shaft 3 is provided for use in a mixing and kneading machine 1 which is constructed in the form of a so-called single-screw extruder, wherein the worm shaft 3 is constructed as a rotating and simultaneously translationally moving working member, as is the case for the above-mentioned Buss Kneader®. The worm shaft module 3a is provided with a total of eight screw vanes, six of which 4a-4f are shown. A through-opening 16 remains free between two consecutive screw vanes 4a, 4b in the peripheral direction, into which a kneading pin (not illustrated) arranged on the housing can extend. The inner diameter of the worm shaft 3 is denoted Di, while the outer diameter of the worm shaft 3 is denoted Da. The inner diameter Di is determined by the outer, cylindrical peripheral surface 7 of the worm shaft 3, while the outer diameter Da is determined by the diametrical clearance between the highest or outermost regions of diametrically opposing kneading blades 4a, 4b, offset in the radial direction. The partition, i.e. the mean distance between two consecutive screw vanes 4b, 4e in the axial direction, is designated as T, wherein the screw vanes determining the partition T can also be radially offset to one another if necessary. The hub, i.e. the path that the worm shaft 3 travels in the axial direction, is designated by H.

In the present example, the lateral main surfaces of the screw vanes 4a-4f are designed as free-formed surfaces. Preferably, the main surfaces of the kneading pins (not illustrated) are also designed as free-formed surfaces. A free-formed surface is a surface, the three-dimensional geometry of which does not have a natural starting point at any point. Since the main surfaces of the screw vanes 4a-4f and/or the kneading pins are designed at least in part as free-formed surfaces, entirely novel control options exist with respect to the static and the dynamic worm shaft geometry, for example in terms of the gap remaining between a screw vane and the associated kneading pin. In particular, the size and course of said gap can be altered in practically any manner, wherein the axial movement superimposed on the rotational movement of the worm shaft can be simultaneously taken into account. This can ultimately result in an optimised mechanical energy input and/or a change in the shear and elongation flow fields generated in the processing chamber and acting on the product to be processed.

The ratios for the worm shaft 3 designed according to the invention are as follows: - Da/Di = 1.5 to 2.0, i.e. the ratio between worm shaft outer diameter Da and worm shaft inner diameter Di is between 1.5 and 2.0; - Da/H = 4 to 6, i.e. the ratio between worm shaft outer diameter Da and hub H is between 4 and 6; - T/H = 1.3 to 2.5, i.e. the ratio between partition T and hub H is between 1.3 and 2.5.

Experiments with worm shafts designed according to the invention have been carried out on Buss Kneaders (rotating and simultaneously translationally moving single-screw extruders), wherein the basic construction of the machine (arrangement and process zones) were left as they were earlier for the respective plastics processing processes with the usual rotational speeds of 100 to 500 1/min.

In the experiments, the worm shaft rotational speeds were driven at well over 500 1/min and it was surprisingly found that in the process zones in which the conveying capacity, the shear rate level and filling level are matched, there was no substantial rise in the temperature of the mass, i.e. the temperature of the products processed in the machine.

In operation, such a worm shaft was therefore preferably operated with rotational speeds exceeding 500 1/min, wherein rotational speeds exceeding 800 1/min up to rotational speeds in the region of 2000 1/min could be achieved without damage to the processed product.

The pitch of the screw vanes 4a-4f is preferably matched to the length of the processing chamber 6 (figure 1), in such a way that the dwelling time of the product in the machine is at most 20 seconds if the worm shaft 3 is operated at rotational speeds exceeding 500 1/min.

The movement path of the translationally moving worm shaft can be seen in the simplified illustration of figure 3, wherein the inner side of the housing or the peripheral surface of the working space is illustrated in the flat pattern and only individual screw vanes 4a, 4b, 4c are drawn. The kneading pins 5 are illustrated as round elements for the sake of simplicity. From this figure, the relative movement between the respective screw vanes 4a, 4b, 4c and the adjacent kneading pins 5 can be seen. In order to improve clarity, the movement sequence is however drawn in kinematic reverse, i.e. the screw vanes 4a, 4b, 4c are taken as being stationary, while the kneading pins 5 move along a sinusoidal path, which comes about due to the rotational movement of the worm shaft and the superimposed translational movement. As can be seen from this illustration, a gap-shaped clearance S remains between the two lateral main surfaces of one screw vane 4c and the passing kneading pin 5, the width and path of which are determined by the geometry of the screw vane 4c and of the associated kneading pin 5, and the axial displacement of the rotating working member. The partition T is also shown. It corresponds to the distance in the axial direction between two adjacent kneading pins 5 or screw vanes 4c, 4f. The hub H of the worm shaft is also illustrated.

Figure 4 shows the dependence between the throughput G (kg/h) and dwelling time t (seconds) of a product to be processed in the mixing and kneading machine. It can be seen from this diagram that by increasing the throughput, the time during which the product is exposed to high temperatures can be significantly reduced.

Performed experiments have shown that a mass temperature, which according to previous experience necessarily led to a reduction in quality of the product, is not damaging to quality over a sufficiently short exposure time. However, sufficiently short dwelling times can only be achieved by higher throughputs.

The throughput and the quality of the compounded product therefore depend on the screw geometry used, the rotational speed and the conveying characteristics of the individual process zones of the machine.

Each compounding has the goal of achieving a homogeneous end product; usually through incorporation of additives. The additives and the inhomogeneities present must therefore be dispersed in the machine and mixed-in in a distributed manner. Shear stresses of lesser or greater magnitude are required in order to reduce the size of particles, which are transferred to the particles via the surroundina matrix. The shear stress tau is given by the equation:

from the viscosity η of the matrix medium and the shear rate γ imposed there. A significant factor for the dispersion, mixing and homogenisation quality of the processed product, in addition to the melting temperature and the dwelling time, is therefore the shear rate γ [1/sec] in the melt-filled screw channel.

If this mean value simplified from the quotient screw peripheral speed/shear gap is taken into account, then (for 100% filling in the screw channel):

For many processes: a weighted shear rate level results in optimal mixing, dispersion and homogenisation quality. In the present state of the art of mixing and kneading technology, in standard processing, mean shear rates in the melt region of 20 1/s to 150 1/s are usual, along with mean dwelling times of the products in the overall worm screw region of 30 to 600 s.

For conventional mixing and kneading machines, as can be seen from equation (2), the mean shear rates have an upper limit due to the worm screw rotational speed and due to Da/s.

However, at increasing shear rates, the relation

leads to higher values of the specific energy input espec, which in turn can lead to unacceptably high melting temperatures, since the temperature increase of the melt is calculated from the equation

(cp = specific heat capacity). Together with large mean dwelling times of the product in the mixing and kneading machine, too high a shear rate can also lead to quality-reducing product damage (thermal degradation or cross-linking).

In the mixing and kneading device according to the invention, the rotating and simultaneously translationally moving worm shaft is operated at rotational speeds from 500 to 2000 1/min, because quality increasing mean shear rates can be produced in the product through the proposed matching of the ratios Da/Di, Da/H and T/H, with simultaneous reduction in the exposure time to temperature peaks.

Symbols used in the equations: eSpec\ mean specific energy input [kWh/kg] t\ mean dwelling time of the product in the extruder [s] □ : melt density [kg/m^3] □ : mean shear rate [1/sec] □ : mean dynamic viscosity [Pa*sec]

Da: worm shaft outer diameter [mm]

Di: worm shaft inner diameter [mm] S: mean shear gap between screw vanes and kneading pins or kneading teeth ns: screw rotational speed [1/min] or [1/s] vu: peripheral speed of the worm shaft [m/s] □ : shear stress [N/mmA2] cp: specific enthalpy [kJ/kg*K] G throughput [kg/h] □T: temperature rise of the mass [K]

Claims (11)

1. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) til kontinuerlige bearbejdningsprocesser, omfattende en snekkeaksel (3) der roterer i et hus (2) og samtidigt bevæger sig translationelt i aksial retning, kendetegnet ved at forholdet Da/Di mellem snekkeakslens udvendige diameter Da og snekkeakslens indvendige diameter Di er mellem 1,5 og 2,0, forholdet Da/H mellem snekkeakslens udvendige diameter Da og navet H er mellem 4 og 6 og forholdet T/H mellem delingen T og navet H er mellem 1,3 og 2,5.

2. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge krav 1, kendetegnet ved at snekkeakslen (3) betjenes ved en omdrejningshastighed på mere end 500 1/minut, især på mere end 800 1/minut.

3. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge krav 1, kendetegnet ved at blande- og æltemaskinen (1) omfatter en flerhed af zoner der er sekventielle i transportretningen og danner et bearbejdningskammer (6).

4. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge krav 3, kendetegnet ved at bearbejdningskammeret (6) er dannet af mindst én tilførselszone (8), en smeltezone (9), en blande- og dispergeringszone (10) såvel som en afgasningszone (11).

5. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge krav 3 eller 4, kendetegnet ved at snekkeakslens (3) omdrejningshastighed er tilpasset længden af bearbejdningskammeret (6) således at produktets opholdstid i maskinen er mellem 1 og 20 sekunder.

6. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge krav 3 eller 4, kendetegnet ved at hældningen på snekkeskovlene (4) er tilpasset længden på bearbejdningskammeret (6) således at produktets opholdstid i maskinen ved omdrejningshastigheder af snekkeakslen (3) på mere end 500 1/minut er på maksimalt 20 sekunder.

7. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge et hvilket som helst af de foregående krav, hvor blande- og æltemaskinen (1) er forsynet med æltetænder (5) fastgjort på huset (2) der rager ind i bearbejdningsrummet (6), kendetegnet ved at hovedoverfladerne af snekkeskovlene (4) og/eller æltetænderne (5) er udformet mindst delvist som frit-formede overflader.

8. Blande- og æltemaskine (1) ifølge krav 7, kendetegnet ved at den tredimensionelle geometri af hovedoverfladerne af snekkeskovlene (4) og/eller af æltetænderne (5) er udformet mindst delvist således at de ikke har et naturligt begyndelsespunkt på noget punkt.

9. Fremgangsmåde til at udføre kontinuerlige bearbejdningsprocesser ved hjælp afen blande- og æltemaskine (1) konfigureret ifølge krav 1, kendetegnet ved at snekkeakslen betjenes ved en omdrejningshastighed på mere end 500 1/minut, især på mere end 800 1/minut.

10. Fremgangsmåde ifølge krav 9, kendetegnet ved at snekkeakslens omdrejningshastighed er valgt således at den gennemsnitlige opholdstid for produktet der skal bearbejdes i maskinen (1) er mellem 1 og 20 sekunder.

11. Fremgangsmåde ifølge krav 9 eller 10, kendetegnet ved at bulk-lignende, plastiske og/eller dej-lignende masser bearbejdes.