Mixing and metering In polymer processing
Answers for mixing and metering tasks
Oerlikon Barmag offers the solutions – for a large variety of mixing and metering tasks when processing plastics – which actually enable economical production. Extremely high metering accuracy and mixing performance ensure that your products are top quality. There is a series of systems available for the various feeding and mixing tasks, optimally designed to fulfill the requirements of flexible production. Additives and dyes for plastics are becoming an increasingly important part of the manufacturing process. The properties of the polymers can be extensively modified as a result of additives. The option of directly introducing these additives during the manufacturing process (e.g. fibers or films) provides a high degree of flexibility and increased efficiency. For this, Oerlikon Barmag offers a series of tested and proven components such as extruders, mixers, filters and pumps. As a result of more than 30 years of design and process experience and state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, Oerlikon Barmag is able to offer both complete injection systems as
The components presented here are meant to be used in new lines as well as upgrade for existing installations
3DD mixer with 11 rows of mixing rings
Meltflow
Mixing and metering – Oerlikon Barmag
well as individual components. When manufacturing top-quality films or fibers, the system components must be very carefully selected and combined in a manner suitable for the process. The dynamic, three-dimensional mixing principle has proven to be an excellent choice when feeding additives, dyes, stabilizers, lubricants and other polymers. Pumps for liquid additives or compact combination of injection extruders with gear pumps are used for feeding. The systems can be integrated in various areas of the melt system. 3DD mixer One or more additive flows can be added to the main melt flow upstream to the mixer. As a result of the flow of the various components within the arcshaped cavities of the rotating interior (rotor) and the static stators, the axial partial flows are reduced into discshaped, fine cuts that are continually blended by staggering them. Therefore, this produces several thousand cuts for each revolution. In the 3DD mixer, the constant changing of the rotor/stator groove allocation creates a pressure-initiated 3-dimensional flow that includes both a longitudinal, dispersive and distributive mixing result.
Additive 1
Additive 2
Feed options
Additive and masterbatches can be fed into the polymer at various points. The suitable point must be determined on an individual basis after considering the flexibility and costs factors for each process.
Feed position Extruder hopper
Upstream to Upstream to 3DD mixer separately- on the driven 3DD extruder mixer
Upstream to Promix AC mixer pump
Form of additive
Granulate; Melt; liquid liquid additive additive
Melt; liquid additive
Melt; liquid additive
Flexibility
medium
medium
good
excellent
Costs
low
average
high
high
Possible positions for injection of masterbatches and additives
additive
injection extruder
gravimetric, volumetric dosing Inject AC
Liquid additive Metering pump 3DD-mixer Inject AC main extruder
3DD-Stand alone Flumix Inject AC
Injection extruder
Promix AC Promix VS
Promix AC Promix VS spinning beam
Mixing and metering – Oerlikon Barmag
Mixing and dosing systems for masterbatch
Injection extruder with dosing pump When molten masterbatches shall be injected into the main polymer flow
under high pressure and with high accuracy, these components are the answer. Output rates from 0,3 kg/h upwards can be metered.
3DD Mixer as extruder extension The mixer unit attached to Oerlikon Barmag Extruders as a screw and barrel extension. The master batch to be mixed in is introduced into the mixing area either through the extruder hopper (granules) or through the side (melted, or in liquid form). The mixing area can be heated and cooled separately.
Mixing and metering – Oerlikon Barmag
Mixing zone
Mixing and dosing systems for masterbatch
3DD Mixer as separate unit This unit is a hot melt extruder with a mixer function. Most of the pressure difference required for mixing is compensated by the pressure build-up in the screw portion of the unit. The operator can select whatever speed the batch calls for. The melt temperature can be influenced using the air-cooled mixer barrel. The mixer is designed for installation in melt conveying systems for larger throughput quantities (> 200 kg/h). The unit can be used to mix in molten and liquid mass flows.
Mixer
Drive unit
Side stream extruder with metering pump
Flumix AC This unit is added at the appropriate stage of the melt distribution system, where it dynamically mixes molten (masterbatch) and liquid components into the main flow. With freely adjustable mixer speeds, the operator can achieve the optimum mixing effect. This unit has no metering function installed. There are 3 unit sizes to choose from, depending on the throughput quantity needed.
Mixing and metering – Oerlikon Barmag
Mixing and dosing systems for masterbatch
Promix AC This planetary pump offers a mixer function to aid individual feeding of additives or colours (liquid) at the spinning position. The dynamic mixer runs in synchrony with the pump speed. There are pumps with 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 or 12 output positions available to choose from.
Additive or dye Melt
Mixing zone
Promix VS To enable the mixer and gear pump to be operated separately, a unit was developed with 2 separate drives, one for the mixer and one for the gear pump. The unit can be installed in spinning positions, or upstream in the melt distribution system.
Mixing and metering – Oerlikon Barmag
Metering zone
Metering systems for liquid additives
Inject AC This system was developed for feeding liquid colours or additives into plastic chips (pressureless) or in polymer melts (under pressure). In the case of pressureless feeding, the unit operates using one metering pump. For feeding under pressure, two serial metering pumps are used, the first responsible for generating pressure and the second for high-precision metering. The speeds of both pumps are adjusted using an intelligent control system. The system can be supplemented with pressurized tanks equipped with electrical filling-level monitoring and valves. The valve technology, coupled with a rinse module, enables quick colourchange times.
Colour tanks
Metering pump
Drive unit
Electrical equipment for mixing and dosing systems
For all of the components presented here, Oerlikon Barmag offers the entire range of electrical apparatus required. This essentially consists of visualisation, heat control and drive activation in connection with the complete line, including alert system and emergency stop function. Correct ratios of colour feed (as liquid or melt) to main polymer are calculated according to specifications. The metering pumps are then activated accordingly.
Mixing and metering – Oerlikon Barmag
Oerlikon Barmag Zweigniederlassung der Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG Leverkuser Straße 65 P.O. Box 11 02 40 D-42862 Remscheid GERMANY Phone +49 21 91 67-0 Fax +49 21 91 67-12 04 Internet: www.barmag.com e-mail: info@barmag.de Saurer Inc. 8801 South Boulevard P.O. Box 70 46 Charlotte N.C. 28241 U.S.A. Phone +1 704 588 00 72 Fax +1 704 588 20 47 info@saurerinc.com
The information supplied in this brochure is for guidance only. We reserve the right to modify it at any time.
OBA 116 e / 7/2007 Studio 45 / Koch Subject to changes
Saurer Far East Ltd. Units 3806B-3807 38/F, Wu Chung House 213, Queen‘s Road East Wanchai, HONG KONG P.R.CHINA Phone +852 28 27 43 14 Fax +852 28 27 52 50 barmaghk@netvigator.com Saurer India Pvt. Ltd. 306-309, Dalamal Tower Nariman Point Mumbay 400 021 INDIA Phone +91 22 2850 813 Fax +91 22 2044 322 management@saurerindia.com