A Novel Modeling Approach for Plastics Melting within a CFD-DEM Framework.

Area of Science:

• Polymer processing
• Materials science
• Computational modeling

Background:

• Current 3D modeling of single-screw extrusion separates feed and melt sections.
• Simulating both solids and melt transport simultaneously remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel modeling approach for single-screw extrusion that integrates solids and melt transport.
• To enable a joint examination of the feed and melt sections within a unified simulation framework.
• To model the phase transition (melting) of solids during extrusion.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a novel melting model within the CFDEMCoupling® framework.
• Combining computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for melt flow and discrete element method (DEM) for solids transport.
• Experimental setup and operation of a melting apparatus for model validation.

Main Results:

• The developed CFD-DEM model successfully simulates solids and melt transport, including melt formation.
• Simulations accurately predict the melting rate, showing good agreement with experimental data.
• Validation of the novel melting model using experimental results from the custom apparatus.

Conclusions:

• The novel CFD-DEM approach enables a joint consideration of solids and melt transport in single-screw extrusion.
• This integrated simulation approach is feasible and accurate for modeling the entire extrusion process.
• The study advances the capability of simulating complex polymer processing operations.