Finite element analysis of a thermoplastic elastomer melt flow in the metering region of a single screw extruder

The flow of a thermoplastic elastomer melt in the metering region of a single screw extruder was studied by the use of a mathematical model. In this model the continuous penalty finite element scheme was combined with generalized Newtonian rheological model to solve the governing equations of continuity and momentum in three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. A non-isothermal flow regime was assumed and the energy equation was solved by a streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin method. The nonlinear nature of the derived set of working equations was also treated using the well-known Picard's iterative technique. The applicability of this model has been verified by the comparison between the results of the computer simulation of the flow of a NBR/PP thermoplastic elastomer in the metering zone of a single screw extruder with experimentally measured data at different process conditions. These comparisons show that there are very good agreements between the model predictions and experimental data.