Honeycomb Extrusion Die Plenum Structure for Ultra-Thin Webs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extrusion processes for producing ultra-thin honeycomb substrates face challenges with excessively high extrusion pressures and low speeds due to narrow slot widths, leading to web swell and pressure issues, especially when slot widths drop below 0.05 mm, which complicates the production of substrates with web thicknesses below 0.038 mm.
Innovation Solution
The extrusion die design incorporates a novel stepped slot design with a CW/SW ratio ranging from 3 to 5 and a plenum system with interconnected chambers, reducing web swell by managing pressure and introducing a dual-stage plenum to ease pressure burdens and maintain reduced web swell, while also minimizing batch flow sensitivities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If narrow slot widths are used to produce ultra-thin honeycomb substrates, then web thickness is reduced, but extrusion pressure increases excessively and extrusion speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The plenum is divided into multiple interconnected chambers instead of a single chamber, creating a segmented flow path that distributes and manages pressure more effectively across the extrusion process, reducing peak pressures while maintaining ultra-thin web production
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a traditional single-plane die structure to a multi-chamber three-dimensional plenum system, adding vertical and depth dimensions to pressure management. This allows pressure control in multiple directions and stages, enabling ultra-thin web extrusion at reduced pressures
2Manufacturing precision
If narrow slot widths are used to produce ultra-thin honeycomb substrates, then web thickness is reduced, but extrusion speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented multi-chamber plenum creates multiple parallel flow paths that collectively maintain higher volumetric flow rates despite individual narrow slots, preserving extrusion speed while achieving ultra-thin web thickness
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple chambers are interconnected to merge their flow contributions, creating a cumulative effect where the combined flow from all chambers maintains high extrusion speed even though individual slot widths are narrow for ultra-thin web production
3Device complexity
If traditional plenum designs are used, then structure is simple, but web swell increases and pressure control is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The plenum is segmented into multiple chambers with controlled interconnections, creating a complex but manageable structure that provides superior pressure distribution and web swell control compared to simple single-chamber designs
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-chamber plenum acts as an intermediary pressure management system between the extrusion source and the narrow discharge slots, buffering and regulating pressure to minimize web swell while maintaining production efficiency
4Manufacturing precision
If slot widths are reduced below 0.05 mm, then web thickness is reduced, but pressure issues and web swell become excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented plenum structure distributes pressure accumulation across multiple chambers, preventing the excessive pressure buildup that causes web swell when using sub-0.05mm slot widths for ultra-thin web production
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-chamber plenum performs preliminary pressure regulation and material conditioning before the extrusion reaches the narrow discharge slots, pre-managing pressure to prevent web swell at the critical extrusion point
Data Source
AI summary
An extrusion die (100) for a honeycomb body, the die (100) including: an input surface (102); an opposing output surface (104); feed holes (108) extending from the input surface (102) toward the output surface (104); discharge slots (106) having a slot width (SW) and a slot length (SL), and extending from the output surface (104) toward the input surface (102); and a plenum (130) fluidly connecting the feed holes (108) and the discharge slots (106). The plenum (130) may include chambers (132) connected to the feed holes (108) and including tapered outlets (134) connected to the discharge slots (106). The plenum (133) may include first chambers (132A) connected to the feed holes (108) and including first tapered outlets (134A), and second chambers (132B) connected to the first outlets and including second tapered outlets (134B) connected to the discharge slots (106).