Narongchai O-Charoen. Experimental studies on extrudate swell behaviour of PS and LIDPE melts with different die designs in an extrusion rheometer. Master's Degree(Energy Technology). King Mongkut's University Technology Thonburi. Library. : King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 2003.
Experimental studies on extrudate swell behaviour of PS and LIDPE melts with different die designs in an extrusion rheometer
Abstract:
Extrudate swell behaviour of polystyrene (PS) and linear low-densitypolyethylene (LLDPE) melts was investigated using a constant shear rate rheometer.Three series of dies with different design configurations were used: (i) Single anddual circular flow channel dies (ii) Single and dual slit flow channel dies (iii) Singlecircular and dual mixed (circularislit) flow channel dies. A number of extrudate swellrelated parameters were examined and used to explain the discrepancies in theextrudate swell results obtained from the single and dual flow channel dies and themix between circular and slit flow channel die for any given test conditions. Theparameters included output rate and output rate ratio, power law index, wall shearrate, wall shear stress, melt residence time, pressure drop induced melt temperaturerise, flow channel position relative to the barrel centerline, and flow patterns. Theweighing method was used to study on the extrudate swell and the colored banding orcolored tracer techniques were used to investigate the flow patterns.It was found that the power law index was the main parameter to determinethe output rate ratio and the extmdate swell between the large and smaIl holes for thedual flow channel dies, and between the circular and slit flow channels for the dualmixed die. The greater the power law index the lower the output rate ratio, and thusdecreased extrudate swell ratio. The differences in the extrudate swell and flowproperties for PS and LLDPE melt resulted from the output rate ratio and themolecular chain structure. The extrudate swell was observed to increase with wallshear rate.The extrudate swell in the single flow channel die was lower than that in thelarge hole of the dual flow channel die. The discrepancies in extrudate swell in thesingle and large hole of dual flow channel were caused by differences in the flowpatterns in the barrel and die, and the sudden change in the melt velocities flowingfrom the barrel and in the die to the die exit. The extrudate swell in the single circularflow channel die was found to be much greater than that in the single slit flow channeldie. In the dual mixed (circular and slit) flow channef die, the slit flow channelexhibited a higher extrudate swell ratio than the circular flow channel. The differencesin extrudate swell results were associated with the vortex size and the flow channelgeometry difference.
King Mongkut's University Technology Thonburi. Library