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Chaotic Mixing in a Free Helix Extruder using a New Solution to the Biharmonic Equation
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  • Gregory Campbell,
  • Ross Taylor,
  • Mark Wetzel,
  • Sirisha Bomma,
  • Shaji Chempath,
  • Diana Hunt,
  • David Powers,
  • Samuel St. John
Gregory Campbell
Clarkson University

Corresponding Author:greg.masonbay@me.com

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Ross Taylor
Clarkson University
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Mark Wetzel
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Sirisha Bomma
Clarkson University
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Shaji Chempath
Clarkson University
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Diana Hunt
Clarkson University
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David Powers
Clarkson University
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Samuel St. John
Clarkson University
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Abstract

A recently published approach for modeling the cross flow in an extruder channel using a new solution to the biharmonic equation is utilized in a study of chaotic mixing in a free helix single screw extruder. This novel extruder was designed and constructed with the screw flight, also referred to as the helix, detached from the screw core. Each of the screw elements could be rotated independently to obtain chaotic motion in the screw channel. Using the new extruder, experimental evidence for the increased mixing of a dye, for both a Dirac and droplet input, with a chaotic flow field relative to the traditional residence time distribution is presented. These experimental results are compared using the new biharmonic equation-based model. Because of the ability to periodically rotate only the flight/helix, the chaotic mixing results are minimally confounded by the existence of Moffat eddies.
29 Sep 2021Submitted to AIChE Journal
03 Oct 2021Submission Checks Completed
03 Oct 2021Assigned to Editor
08 Oct 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
06 Nov 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
11 Nov 20211st Revision Received
18 Nov 2021Submission Checks Completed
18 Nov 2021Assigned to Editor
07 Dec 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
Apr 2022Published in AIChE Journal volume 68 issue 4. 10.1002/aic.17557