On the modeling of continuous mixers. Part II: The cokneader

The Buss cokneader is a single-screw extruder with interrupted flights. Pins from the barrel are inserted into the screw channel. The screw is both rotating and oscillating. Due to this action, screw flights are continuously wiped by the pins. During one passage of the pin, the material is not only subjected to high shear stress, but it is reoriented as well, thus promoting the distributive mixing process by the local weaving action of the pins and screw flights. Attempts to model the cokneader tend to focus on a single pin passing through the hole in a screw flight (1, 2). However, a more comprehensive model can start with the same equations that apply to the corotating twin-screw extruder (3). Because the effect of leakage flows on the local pressure gradient has to be considered along with the effect of the local dragging action of the pins (neglecting the oscillatory action), experiments with model liquids have been performed to evaluate the comprehensive model. Additional experiments with a Plexiglas-wailed cokneader support the calculations concerning filled lengths in various screw geometries. These results, and those of model calculations, which are extended to the nonisothermal, non-Newtonian situation, are presented