A method in which a stream of dry cementitious powder from a dry powder feeder passes through a dry cementitious powder inlet conduit to feed a first feed section of a fiber-slurry mixer. An aqueous medium stream passes through at least one aqueous medium stream conduit to feed a first mixing section the fiber-slurry mixer. A stream of reinforcing fibers passes from a fiber feeder through a reinforcing fibers stream conduit to feed a second mixing section of the fiber-slurry mixer. The stream of dry cementitious powder, aqueous medium stream, and stream of reinforcing fibers combine in the fiber-slurry mixer to make a stream of fiber-cement mixture which discharges through a discharge conduit at a downstream end of the mixer.

A method in which a stream of dry cementitious powder from a dry powder feeder passes through a dry cementitious powder inlet conduit to feed a first feed section of a fiber-slurry mixer. An aqueous medium stream passes through at least one aqueous medium stream conduit to feed a first mixing section the fiber-slurry mixer. A stream of reinforcing fibers passes from a fiber feeder through a reinforcing fibers stream conduit to feed a second mixing section of the fiber-slurry mixer. The stream of dry cementitious powder, aqueous medium stream, and stream of reinforcing fibers combine in the fiber-slurry mixer to make a stream of fiber-cement mixture which discharges through a discharge conduit at a downstream end of the mixer.

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.

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 multiple screw extruder (50) combines application of vacuum to a vacuum vent (62) positioned between material feed locations (70, 72) of the extruder and use of specially configured extruder screws (58) to extract gases, primarily air, out of the extruder to densify the materials introduced into it and to extract unwanted fluid from material introduced for mixture with molten polymeric material flowing through the extruder. The multiple screw extruder is operationally versatile in that it is capable of carrying out the material densification and fluid extraction processes either separately or simultaneously. Implementation of the disclosed vacuum feed technology provides an increase in rate of extrudate throughput as compared with that achievable by implementation of atmospheric venting (16) in a conventionally configured extruder (10a, 10b).

A simulation apparatus includes an 1D analysis unit which performs a low-dimensional fluid-flow analysis of material in an arithmetic object field of a kneading device, based on setting information including physical property of the material, and configuration data and an operation condition of the kneading device for kneading the material, an area selection unit which receives selection of an object area as an object of a high-dimensional fluid-flow analysis in the arithmetic object field, and a 3D analysis unit which extracts physical quantities of the material relating to the object area, based on a result of the low-dimensional fluid-flow analysis, and performs a high-dimensional fluid-flow analysis of the material in the object area, based on the extracted physical quantities and the setting information.

A simulation apparatus includes an 1D analysis unit which performs a low-dimensional fluid-flow analysis of material in an arithmetic object field of a kneading device, based on setting information including physical property of the material, and configuration data and an operation condition of the kneading device for kneading the material, an area selection unit which receives selection of an object area as an object of a high-dimensional fluid-flow analysis in the arithmetic object field, and a 3D analysis unit which extracts physical quantities of the material relating to the object area, based on a result of the low-dimensional fluid-flow analysis, and performs a high-dimensional fluid-flow analysis of the material in the object area, based on the extracted physical quantities and the setting information.

A co-rotating self-cleaning two-screw extruder with a gradual number of threads and through self-cleaning function, and a processing method using the same, are disclosed. The screw assembly in the extruder includes a first screw (3) and a second screw (4) that co-rotate at the same speed in engagement; the first screw (3) includes a first single threaded element, a first transition element, a multiple threaded element, a second transition element and a second single threaded element that are connected in sequence; and the second screw (4) includes a first single threaded element, a third transition element, a multiple threaded element, a fourth transition element and a second single threaded element that are connected in sequence. The materials are transferred by rotation of the first (3) and second screws (4), and get their respective compositions mixed based on the structure of a gradual number of threads; with the flow passage expanded, contracted and re-expanded in shape in sequence, the materials undergo the single-to-multiple threaded, multiple-to-single threaded and again single-to-multiple threaded chaotic mixing in sequence; and the first and second screws achieve the self-cleaning effect by wiping each other.

One embodiment provides a twin-screw extruder which is used to knead materials and has excellent productivity. The twin-screw extruder includes screws. The screws include double thread screws in which first screw portions engage with each other. Ratio D1/C of external diameter D1 of the first screw portion to a shaft distance C ranges from 1.25 to 1.40. The screws further include triple thread screws in which third screw portions engage with each other. Ratio D3/C of external diameter D3 of the third screw portion to the shaft distance C ranges from 1.05 to 1.10. External diameter D2 of a second screw portion decreases gradually from the first screw portion toward the third screw portion.

A twin-screw extrusion kneader includes: two rotating shafts provided side by side in an internal space; a rotational driving portion configured to rotationally drive the rotating shafts; and paddles provided in the rotating shafts and configured to rotate along with the rotating shafts so as to knead a kneading material. Further, the twin-screw extrusion kneader includes movable portions provided as members constituting a part of the housing, the part of the housing including an inner wall surface of the housing, the inner wall surface being opposed to radially outer peripheral surfaces of the paddles. The movable portions can be moved in a direction to approach the paddles and in a direction to be distanced from the paddles. The twin-screw extrusion kneader can control the viscosity of electrode paste by moving the movable portions.