A kneading apparatus having a kneading unit made up of a plurality of segment parts detachably mounted on a shaft disposed in the barrel includes a first segment part having a first length L1 related to an outer diameter D, a second segment part having a second length L2 shorter than the first length L1, and a third segment part having a third length L3 longer than the first length L1; the first length L1 is [the outer diameter D?a coefficient a]; the second length L2 is [the first length L1/a coefficient b]; the third length L3 is [the first length L1?the coefficient b]; the third length L3 is [L1+L2]; and the kneading unit has a segment pattern made up of a plurality of segment parts and mounted on the shaft interchangeably with another segment pattern.

A method of continuously manufacturing a cured membrane includes continuously compounding and mixing a vulcanizable rubber composition in a mixing extruder while continuously removing gasses from the vulcanizable rubber composition during mixing with a vacuum. The vulcanizable rubber composition may be continuously extruded to form an extrudate, which may be continuously calendered to form a green membrane. The green membrane may be continuously cured, such as by a hot air conveyor curing system, to form a cured membrane.

A system for extrusion of material, for example chopped waste plastic, comprises a treatment device (101) for extruding the material and a feeder device (102) comprising a screw conveyor (103) for supplying the material to the treatment device. A screw element (104) of the screw conveyor has: a) a conical profile so that a diameter of the screw element decreases in a moving direction of the material and/or b) a thread-pitch decreasing in the moving direction of the material and/or c) an axial thickness of a screw thread crest increasing in the moving direction. The conical profile of the screw element and/or the thread-pitch decreasing in the moving direction and/or the axial thickness of the screw thread crest increasing in the moving direction improve the ability of the screw conveyor to compact the material and thereby to supply a sufficiently uniform material flow to the treatment device.

A system for extrusion of material, for example chopped waste plastic, comprises a treatment device (101) for extruding the material and a feeder device (102) comprising a screw conveyor (103) for supplying the material to the treatment device. A screw element (104) of the screw conveyor has: a) a conical profile so that a diameter of the screw element decreases in a moving direction of the material and/or b) a thread-pitch decreasing in the moving direction of the material and/or c) an axial thickness of a screw thread crest increasing in the moving direction. The conical profile of the screw element and/or the thread-pitch decreasing in the moving direction and/or the axial thickness of the screw thread crest increasing in the moving direction improve the ability of the screw conveyor to compact the material and thereby to supply a sufficiently uniform material flow to the treatment device.

Methods are disclosed for the continuous treatment of biomass comprising a pretreatment step, wherein said biomass is contacted with a first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid to form a solid matrix and a first liquid fraction; and a hydrolysis step, wherein said solid matrix formed in said pretreatment step is contacted with a second supercritical or near-supercritical fluid to produce a second liquid fraction and an insoluble lignin-containing fraction. Also disclosed are apparatuses for the continuous conversion of biomass comprising a pretreatment reactor and a hydrolysis reactor associated with said pretreatment reactor.

High Specific Mechanical Energy extruder screw assemblies (14, 88, 98) and complete extruders (10, 86, 96) are provided, which include wide-flight intermediate screw sections (104) having axial flight widths greater than the flight widths of the inlet and outlet screw sections (102, 106) on opposite sides of the intermediate sections (104). The intermediate sections (104) provide increased friction and shear serving to enhance the SMEs imparted to comestible food materials during processing thereof.

A method of continuously manufacturing a cured membrane includes continuously compounding and mixing a vulcanizable rubber composition in a mixing extruder while continuously removing gasses from the vulcanizable rubber composition during mixing with a vacuum. The vulcanizable rubber composition may be continuously extruded to form an extrudate, which may be continuously calendered to form a green membrane. The green membrane may be continuously cured, such as by a hot air conveyor curing system, to form a cured membrane.

Screw elements, extrusion apparatus, and methods of manufacturing honeycomb bodies are described herein. A segment for a ceramic batch screw extruder machine has at least one pump and mix screw element. The pump and mix screw element has a pitch, a diameter, and a pitch to diameter ratio of 0.8 to 2.6.

An injection molding machine includes a cylinder configured to heat a molding material including bioplastics and a rotating member provided in the cylinder. The molding material is fed from upstream to downstream along a helical groove formed in the rotating member by the rotating member being rotated. The rotating member includes a first region and a second region downstream of the first region. The first region and the second region are different in shape, dimensions, or both. A retention time of the molding material in the first region is longer than in a case in which the first region has the same shape and the same dimensions as in the second region.

An injection molding machine includes a cylinder configured to heat a molding material including bioplastics and a rotating member provided in the cylinder. The molding material is fed from upstream to downstream along a helical groove formed in the rotating member by the rotating member being rotated. The rotating member includes a first region and a second region downstream of the first region. The first region and the second region are different in shape, dimensions, or both. A retention time of the molding material in the first region is longer than in a case in which the first region has the same shape and the same dimensions as in the second region.