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Suma_Rani_Das_Thesis.pdf (12.28 MB)
ETD Abstract Container
Abstract Header
Investigation of Design and Operating Parameters in Partially-Filled Rubber Mixing Simulations
Author Info
Das, Suma Rani
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1479151141596147
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2016, Master of Science, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering.
Abstract
The modern rubber industry is always in pursuit of improvements in the properties of the final product resulting from the mixing of the rubber compounds with different fillers and additives. Depending on the functional characteristics of the final product and thus the compounding ingredients, different types of mixers can be used for the rubber mixing process. Hence, the choice of an appropriate mixer is critical in achieving the proper distribution and dispersion of fillers in rubber, and a consistent product quality, as well as is the attainment of high productivity. Besides rotor design, operational parameters such as speed ratio and the orientation of the mixing rotors with respect to each other also play significant role in the mixing performance. With the availability of high-performance computing resources and high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics tools, understanding the flow field and mixing characteristics associated with rotor orientations, speed ratios and complex rotor geometries, has become more feasible over the last two decades. As part of this effort, all the simulations here are carried out in a 75% fill chamber with two counter-rotating rotors using a CFD code. In the phase angle and rotor design studies conducted here, the rotors rotate at 20 rpm even speed, whereas for speed ratio study, only the left rotor rotates at 20 rpm and the right rotor rotates at a speed, which is a multiple of 20 rpm by the speed ratio specified. The computational models used in this research are based on a finite volume method to simulate a partially filled mixer equipped with different tangential rotor types. The model solves for transient, isothermal and incompressible set of governing fluid equations for the mixing of non-Newtonian high-viscosity rubber. The research here considers phase angles of 45°, 90° and 180°, speed ratios of 1.0, 1.125 and 1.5, and rotor designs including 2-wing, 4-wing A and the 4-wing B rotors. Investigation of each parameter type carried out separately. The flow field is analyzed via pressure and velocity contours, mass flow patterns, velocity vectors and particle trajectories. Dispersive mixing is evaluated through histograms of mixing index, joint probability density functions of mixing index and shear rate, and cumulative probability distribution functions of maximum shear stress experienced by the particles. Distributive mixing is quantified statistically using cluster distribution index, axial distribution, inter-chamber particles transfer, segregation scale and length of stretch. The results helped in understanding the mixing process and material movement, thereby generating information that could potentially improve the productivity and efficiency in tire manufacturing process.
Committee
Abhilash Chandy, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Povitsky Alex, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Choi Jae-Won, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Pages
147 p.
Subject Headings
Fluid Dynamics
;
Industrial Engineering
;
Mechanical Engineering
;
Polymers
Keywords
Dispersive mixing
;
Distributive mixing
;
Speed ratio
;
Phase angle
;
Rotor design
;
Segregation scale
;
Cluster distribution
;
Length of stretch
;
Partially filled
;
non-Newtonian
;
Numerical simulation
;
Polymer processing
;
Rubber Processing
;
Tire materials
Recommended Citations
Refworks
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Citations
Das, S. R. (2016).
Investigation of Design and Operating Parameters in Partially-Filled Rubber Mixing Simulations
[Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1479151141596147
APA Style (7th edition)
Das, Suma Rani.
Investigation of Design and Operating Parameters in Partially-Filled Rubber Mixing Simulations.
2016. University of Akron, Master's thesis.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1479151141596147.
MLA Style (8th edition)
Das, Suma Rani. "Investigation of Design and Operating Parameters in Partially-Filled Rubber Mixing Simulations." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1479151141596147
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
akron1479151141596147
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Copyright Info
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.