Compact Screw Extruder with Intake Comminution for Bulk Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional screw extruders for additive production have a large length/diameter ratio, leading to high structural size and mass, which limits their mobility and construction rates, especially when processing granular materials, as they require a long compression zone to achieve sufficient homogenization and prevent material dissociation.
Innovation Solution
A comminution tool is integrated into the funnel-shaped intake region of the vertically arranged screw extruder, reducing the length/diameter ratio by comminuting the material and increasing bulk density, allowing for a shorter compression zone and a more compact design with a ratio of 1 to 10 or 1 to 3, using a comminution tool such as a cone or vertically extending wall to prevent material rotation and enhance conveying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a long compression zone is used to achieve sufficient homogenization and prevent material dissociation, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and structural size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The comminution tool performs preliminary comminution of coarse granulates in the intake region before the material enters the compression zone. This preliminary action reduces the material particle size and increases bulk density, allowing the compression zone to be shortened while still achieving sufficient homogenization quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the material in the intake region by comminuting the granulates, which increases the bulk density. This parameter change allows for a reduced length/diameter ratio of the screw extruder while maintaining effective compression and homogenization.
2Productivity
If the screw diameter is increased to improve material intake and conveying, then productivity is improved, but device size and mass increase
Solution Approach 1:
The comminution tool changes the particle size distribution and bulk density parameters of the material in the intake region. This allows the screw extruder to maintain effective material intake and conveying with a smaller diameter, thereby reducing the overall mass of the moving object.
3Volume of moving object
If the length/diameter ratio is reduced to achieve compact design, then device size is reduced, but compression and homogenization effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The comminution tool performs preliminary comminution in the intake region, preparing the material before it enters the compression zone. This preliminary action compensates for the reduced compression zone length, allowing compact design while maintaining homogenization effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the bulk density parameter through comminution in the intake region, the invention enables a reduced length/diameter ratio while maintaining sufficient compression and homogenization effectiveness in the shortened compression zone.
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 compact design achieves higher construction rates and reduced mass, enabling more efficient extrusion of dense material strands while maintaining high compression and homogenization, even with coarse granulates, and allows for smaller, more mobile screw extruders in additive production processes.
Implementation Method 1
a comminution tool which is located in the funnel-shaped intake region of the vertically arranged screw extruder... a portion of the coarse material is comminuted and the bulk density in the region of the screw is thereby increased
Implementation Method 2
compressing and ventilating the material, homogenizing the material, pressure build-up for filling the die
Implementation Method 3
The heating zones are arranged one above the other... plasticizing and homogenizing zone
Data Source
AI summary
Method and device for the extrusion of thermomechanically deformable materials, as well as a compact screw extruder. The configuration of the material infeed in a screw extruder, has a significantly smaller length-diameter ratio than known solutions from the fields of injection moulding and additive manufacturing and a crushing tool, located in the funnel-shaped infeed region of the vertically arranged screw extruder which prevents the rotational movement of the material in the funnel, and also thereby forces movement in the conveying direction of the screw extruder in combination with the gradient of the screw flanks. In addition, a portion of the coarse material is crushed, whereby the bulk material density is increased in the region of the screw and less air must be pressed out of the material in the region of the plasticization and homogenization zone.