An annular control valve was developed for the extrusion of wood slurries and polymers. The objective was to determine the optimal valve geometry: (1) to provide a linear pressure drop across the valve as a function of valve opening and (2) to eliminate the problem of valve plugging caused by the high solid content of the wood slurries. The approach was to model the non-Newtonian flow in a plasticating single-screw extruder. A finite-difference scheme was developed to model the flow through annular surfaces. The two flow equations were solved simultaneously and a parametric study was performed to determine the optimal valve geometry. The valve operability was evaluated for the extrusion of various mixtures of low-density polyethylene, sawdust, wood flour, and vacuum bottom. The experimental results were in good agreement with the model. In general, a linear valve characteristic was observed and the problem of valve plugging was not evident.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/276855 |
| Date | January 1986 |
| Creators | Wong, Joseph Man, 1959- |
| Contributors | White, Donald H. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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