Offset Conveyor Axis and Inverted Mixing for Plastic Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic recycling devices face issues with premature melting and clogging when processing sensitive or stripe-shaped materials, leading to reduced throughput and maintenance challenges due to excessive tamping pressure and material sticking.
Innovation Solution
The device offsets the central longitudinal axis of the conveyor screw relative to the rotation axis of the receiving container, reversing the rotation direction of the mixing and comminution tools, which reduces tamping pressure and prevents excessive material from being forced into the extruder, allowing for efficient drawing-in of materials without melting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the mixing and comminution tools are arranged to convey material in the same direction as the extruder, then the tamping effect and material feeding into the extruder is strengthened, but premature melting and clogging occurs leading to reduced throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by orienting the mixing and comminution tools to convey material in the opposite direction to the extruder's conveyance direction. This reversal prevents the tamping effect that causes premature melting and clogging, while still ensuring adequate material supply to the extruder through the offset configuration of the conveyor axis relative to the receiving container's rotation axis.
2Force
If the extruder is arranged radially on the receiving container to maximize tamping effect, then material is pushed better into the extruder, but materials with low energy content or early softening point melt prematurely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric arrangement by offsetting the central longitudinal axis of the conveyor relative to the rotation axis of the receiving container. This asymmetric configuration allows the mixing tools to convey material in a direction that does not align with the extruder's axial direction, thereby reducing the tamping pressure on sensitive materials while maintaining effective material supply through the geometric relationship between the offset axis and the extruder inlet.
3Quantity of substance
If the conveyance direction of mixing tools and extruder are aligned to force feed material, then filling of the screw is maximized, but draw-in area becomes clogged and mixing tools stick together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional aligned arrangement by configuring the mixing tools to convey material in the opposite direction to the extruder's conveyance direction. Combined with the offset axis arrangement, this ensures that material is supplied to the extruder without excessive pressure, preventing clogging in the draw-in area and sticking of mixing tools while maintaining adequate screw filling.
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
This arrangement enhances the drawing-in behavior, increases throughput, and stabilizes the system by reducing pressure peaks, preventing material melting and clogging, thus improving operational efficiency and extending maintenance intervals.
Implementation Method 1
the force component of the circumferential force exerted by the rotating tool, which component acts in the axial direction of the extruder screw
Implementation Method 2
the force component of the circumferential force exerted by the rotating tool, which component acts in the axial direction of the extruder screw becomes greater
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a device and a method for processing plastic material with at least one receiving container, wherein at least one mixing and/or comminution tool, rotatable about a rotation axis, is arranged, for mixing and warming the plastic material, and with at least one conveyor for discharging the plastic material from the receiving container, with at least one screw rotating in a housing, where the conveyor is connected, at its material inlet side via an opening which is formed in a side wall of the receiving container, with the interior of the receiving container. An imaginary extension of the central longitudinal axis of the conveyor extends, against the conveyance direction of the conveyor, past the rotation axis of the receiving container, without intersecting this axis, where the longitudinal axis of the conveyor is offset by a separation relative to the radial ray of the receiving container on the discharge side.