Extrusion Die Cooling Flow to Prevent Pellet Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The extrusion process for solid food supplements, feed additives, and pharmaceutical preparations is hindered by clogging of machine parts, particularly the cutter and extrusion die, due to the viscous and sticky nature of the extruded material, leading to instability and poor product quality.
Innovation Solution
An extrusion apparatus with a combination of lateral transportation fluid and vertical or angled cooling fluid flows is used to enhance cooling and drying of the extruded material, especially at the core, reducing the tendency of knives and die to clog, and improving process stability and product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lateral transportation fluid flow is used to carry away pellets, then pellet transportation is improved, but cooling and drying of the material core is insufficient leading to clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical cooling fluid flow component in addition to the lateral transportation flow. This multi-dimensional approach ensures that cooling and drying occur not only horizontally (for pellet transportation) but also vertically (for thorough cooling of the material core), eliminating the clogging issue while maintaining efficient pellet removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling and transportation function is segmented into two independent fluid flows: a lateral flow for pellet transportation and a vertical flow for cooling and drying. This segmentation allows each flow to be optimized for its specific purpose without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between transportation efficiency and process stability.
2Temperature
If separate cooling air streams are used for knives and die, then cooling effect is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical cooling fluid flow serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the extrusion die orifices, cools the cutter knives during operation, and dries the material core. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for each component, reducing device complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cooling function for the die and knives into a single vertical cooling fluid flow system. Instead of having separate cooling air streams for different components, the system combines them into one integrated cooling approach that efficiently cools all critical areas without increasing system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The additional cooling and drying effects reduce clogging and agglomeration, enhancing process stability and product quality by ensuring efficient pelletization and preventing machine parts from sticking.
Implementation Method 1
a means to generate a flow of cooling fluid through a fluid outlet onto the orifice in a vertical or angled direction
Implementation Method 2
enhancing cooling and drying speed of the extruded material
Implementation Method 3
a means to generate a flow of transportation fluid through a fluid outlet such that the flow of transportation fluid laterally passes over the die in front of the orifice
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an extrusion apparatus for the continuous production of solid food supplements, feed additives or pharmaceutical preparations, which comprise nutritional or pharmaceutical actives homogeneously dispersed in a carrier material matrix. The invention also relates to a method for the production of such preparations by extrusion.