A process for producing a rubber mixture in a mixing apparatus having at least one mixing chamber (4, 4) in which rotors (5) are disposed, wherein a plant control system by means of which process parameters (especially the speed of the rotors (5), the suction output of a suction device (13, 14, 15) and the mixing time) are controlled by open- and closed-loop control is provided, wherein at least one rubber is mixed in the mixing chamber with at least one filler, especially silica, preferably with addition of at least one coupling agent, especially a silane, and wherein the gas mixture present in and above the mixing chamber is sucked out by means of the suction device, wherein volatile organic compounds, especially alcoholic gases, present in the gas mixture sucked in are detected continuously, wherein, in the event of exceedance of a concentration of organic compounds in the gas mixture sucked in that has been defined as the control limit, the concentration measured is employed as control variable in the plant control system for closed-loop control of at least one of the process parameters, and wherein, in the event of exceedance of a concentration of organic compounds in the gas mixture sucked in that has been defined as the safety limit, there is a safety shutdown of the mixing apparatus by means of the plant control system.

Disclosed are techniques for mitigating vent flow into a vent attachment on an extruder vent of an extruder. The vent attachment has a vent attachment port configured to release gases from the extruder vent. The techniques include monitoring temperature via a temperature probe mounted at least partly inside an interior opening of the vent attachment. The temperature probe is communicatively coupled to a programmable logic controller (PLC). A region of the vent attachment adjacent the temperature probe is cooled so as to reduce an operating temperature of the region and of the temperature probe. Vent flow is detected in response to the PLC determining a rate of temperature change of the temperature probe exceeding a predetermined threshold rate and thereby indicating presence of the material in the vent attachment port.

A stuffing screw (2) for use in an extruder system comprises a housing (7) and at least one conveying screw (5), which is mounted in a rotatable manner within the housing (7), wherein a conveying space is formed between an inner side of the housing (7) and the conveying screw (5). The stuffing screw (2) is characterized in that at least one portion of the inner side of the housing (7) is provided with one or more depressions, in particular in the form of a groove (13).