The invention relates to a process for extruding plastic compositions. The process in particular relates to the conveying, kneading and/or mixing of plastic compositions, in particular of polymer melts and mixtures of polymer melts, above all thermoplastics and elastomers, particularly preferably polycarbonate and polycarbonate blends, also with the incorporation of other substances such as for example solids, liquids, gases or other polymers or other polymer blends.

A screw for a plasticating apparatus has one or more helical flights. A portion of the screw has a plurality of advancing grooves arranged in a noncontinuous helix cut in the screw. The advancing grooves are dimensioned to receive material therein as the material is conveyed through the barrel. The screw has a plurality of noncontinuous cross-cut grooves traversing one or more of the advancing grooves. The cross-cut grooves have a second helix angle greater than the first helix angle and less than ninety degrees; and/or one or more of the cross-cut grooves have a third helix angle of about ninety degrees.

A dispersive mixing element for co-rotating twin screw extruder is disclosed. The element for co-rotating twin screw extruder comprises of a continuous flight helically formed thereon having a lead ‘L’, wherein either the flight transforms at least once from an integer lobe flight into a non-integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’ and transforms back to an integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’ or the flight transforms at least once from a non-integer lobe flight into an integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’ and transforms back to a non-integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’.

A dispersive mixing element for co-rotating twin screw extruder is disclosed. The element for co-rotating twin screw extruder comprises of a continuous flight helically formed thereon having a lead ‘L’, wherein either the flight transforms at least once from an integer lobe flight into a non-integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’ and transforms back to an integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’ or the flight transforms at least once from a non-integer lobe flight into an integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’ and transforms back to a non-integer lobe flight in a fraction of the lead ‘L’.

An improved extruder apparatus is disclosed and which includes a cylindrical barrel having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end having an inlet in fluid communication with a hopper. The extruder screw is mounted in the cylindrical barrel, and the screw has an outer surface having one or more helical flights mounted thereon, wherein the inlet end of the cylindrical barrel has a support frame mounted thereto, wherein an upper surface of the support frame is connected to a throat of a hopper, wherein an insert is mounted to the support frame and has a lower end which extends down into the cylindrical barrel, wherein the insert has an internal passageway having a first opening on the lower end and a second opening upstream of the screw for relieving the pressure.

An improved extruder apparatus is disclosed and which includes a cylindrical barrel having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end having an inlet in fluid communication with a hopper. The extruder screw is mounted in the cylindrical barrel, and the screw has an outer surface having one or more helical flights mounted thereon, wherein the inlet end of the cylindrical barrel has a support frame mounted thereto, wherein an upper surface of the support frame is connected to a throat of a hopper, wherein an insert is mounted to the support frame and has a lower end which extends down into the cylindrical barrel, wherein the insert has an internal passageway having a first opening on the lower end and a second opening upstream of the screw for relieving the pressure.

A co-rotating self-cleaning multi-screw extruder with a speed ratio of 2.5 and an extruding method therefor are disclosed. The screw mechanism includes a center screw and peripheral screws which rotate in the same direction. The peripheral screws are each of a double threaded structure, and the center screw is of a quintuple threaded structure. The rotation speed of the peripheral screws is 2.5 times that of the center screw, and the peripheral screws are always meshed with the center screw, whereas the adjacent peripheral screws are intermittently meshed with each other. The extruding method therefor is as follows: there is a periodically open space between adjacent peripheral screws, providing the periodical and intermittent mixing action, so that material from different thread grooves is mixed with each other. Meanwhile, the topological chaos action, by which the material is cut into two portions, is formed between the center screw and the peripheral screws, and the chaos mixing is caused by the random motion which is generated from the periodical changes of the channel, so that a periodical action of “compression-expansion” is achieved. Furthermore, due to the tensile force field action caused by the differences in rotation speed between the center screw and the peripheral screws, the compression preheating and dispersion mixing of the material are achieved. The co-rotating self-cleaning multi-screw extruder effectively improves the efficiency of conveying and mixing of materials.

A co-rotating self-cleaning multi-screw extruder with a speed ratio of 2.5 and an extruding method therefor are disclosed. The screw mechanism includes a center screw and peripheral screws which rotate in the same direction. The peripheral screws are each of a double threaded structure, and the center screw is of a quintuple threaded structure. The rotation speed of the peripheral screws is 2.5 times that of the center screw, and the peripheral screws are always meshed with the center screw, whereas the adjacent peripheral screws are intermittently meshed with each other. The extruding method therefor is as follows: there is a periodically open space between adjacent peripheral screws, providing the periodical and intermittent mixing action, so that material from different thread grooves is mixed with each other. Meanwhile, the topological chaos action, by which the material is cut into two portions, is formed between the center screw and the peripheral screws, and the chaos mixing is caused by the random motion which is generated from the periodical changes of the channel, so that a periodical action of “compression-expansion” is achieved. Furthermore, due to the tensile force field action caused by the differences in rotation speed between the center screw and the peripheral screws, the compression preheating and dispersion mixing of the material are achieved. The co-rotating self-cleaning multi-screw extruder effectively improves the efficiency of conveying and mixing of materials.

A screw for a plasticating apparatus has one or more helical flights. A portion of the screw has a plurality of advancing grooves arranged in a noncontinuous helix cut in the screw. The advancing grooves are dimensioned to receive material therein as the material is conveyed through the barrel. The screw has a plurality of noncontinuous cross-cut grooves traversing one or more of the advancing grooves. The cross-cut grooves have a second helix angle greater than the first helix angle and less than ninety degrees; and/or one or more of the cross-cut grooves have a third helix angle of about ninety degrees.

A screw for a plasticating apparatus has one or more helical flights. A portion of the screw has a plurality of advancing grooves arranged in a noncontinuous helix cut in the screw. The advancing grooves are dimensioned to receive material therein as the material is conveyed through the barrel. The screw has a plurality of noncontinuous cross-cut grooves traversing one or more of the advancing grooves. The cross-cut grooves have a second helix angle greater than the first helix angle and less than ninety degrees; and/or one or more of the cross-cut grooves have a third helix angle of about ninety degrees.