Model for Polymer Melt Flow in Spiral Mandrel Dies, 1997 Polymers, Laminations & Coatings Conference Proceedings
Polymer melt flow uniformity in spiral mandrel dies is a critical requirement in blown film. It is often observed in industrial practice that the flow uniformity obtained with a given die varies with the type of polymer. Currently available models of polymer melt flow through spiral mandrel dies only account for the viscous behavior of the polymer melt and predict only a mild dependence of flow uniformity on polymer shear thinning. A new model of polymer flow is described in this work. The model is of the control-volume type currently available in the literature and includes simple, yet essential, modifications that improve the model predictions. The improved accuracy is demonstrated by comparison to three-dimensional calculations for Newtonian fluids and experimental results on LDPE blown films.
Model for Polymer Melt Flow in Spiral Mandrel Dies, 1997 Polymers, Laminations & Coatings Conference