Differential heating as a strategy for controlling the flow distribution in profile extrusion dies

Abstract

This work presents a simple procedure for balancing the flow in extrusion dies. The method consists in using different temperatures on the different sides of the extrusion die surface, in this way altering the local viscosity of the polymer melt, and thus the melt flow distribution. The design methodology follows a numerical trial-and-error procedure (implemented in OpenFOAM (R)), which was assessed with an industrial case study (swimming pool cover profile). The results obtained show that the support of computational tools is an excellent design aid, and a much better alternative to the experimental trial-and-error procedure commonly used in industry.