Abstract
The Cavity Transfer Mixer (CTM) was primarily designed as a distributive mixing device to be used as an add-on unit to existing extruders. In determining the CTM overall mixing efficiency as well as its potential use for various applications, the flow patterns/characteristics within this mixer must be well understood. In this work, a fluid dynamics analysis package – FIDAP – using the finite element method was employed to simulate the flow patterns in a CTM with 3 rows and 6 cavities per row. A 3-D, isothermal flow analysis for a Newtonian fluid was carried out. The flow field was characterized in terms of velocity profiles, average shear stresses and a parameter λ quantifying the elongational flow components. The influence of processing variables on the flow characteristics was also discussed. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental data.
© 1994, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich
