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Hurricane Mixer
Reverse-Flow Grooves Generate 'Chaotic'
Mixing Action |
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The Hurricane mixing section was designed with non-shear-sensitive materials in mind and is intended for extrusion, blowmolding and injection-molding applications that require very aggressive mixing. Paired with high-performance, high-output feedscrews from Glycon, the Hurricane mixer promises to solve the most difficult mixing problems while maximizing melting efficiency. |
Typical applications include achieving better color concentrate dispersion in high-flow PP and similar materials. The Hurricane can also be effective in blowmolding and extrusion of polypropylene and polyethylene when high percentages of regrind are used. With increasing demand for recycled plastics, thorough mixing can be vital to being able to use high regrind percentages. |
The mixing section of the new Hurricane screw has multiple closely-spaced flights pitched to continue the forward flow of material as it exits the metering section. These "forward" flights are interrupted by two or more "reverse flow" grooves which start on opposite sides of the screw and then spiral forward to the end of the mixing section. The mixer is unique in that each of the forward flow channels decreases in depth, compressing the material as it conveys it forward. At the farthest end of the mixing section, the forward flow channel reaches its shallowest point, which is also where it encounters the downstream end of the reverse-flow grooves. A portion of the material flows the path of reduced pressure and actually flows back upstream against the main flow of material. Along the way, the two streams interact, creating a "chaotic" mixing action
The decreasing depth of the forward channels adds shear to the material while creating the pressure that eventually drives some of it back upstream in the reverse-flow grooves. And, at every point where a groove crosses a screw flight, we get the two materials dividing and recombining in a very random way that enhances mixing.
Another impressive feature of this mixing section is that it is self-cleaning. Custom processors will find that changing from one resin or color to another will take no longer than with less sophisticated mixer designs. The unique geometry that provides aggressive mixing also promotes material flow and, thus, continually works to move the resin/color out of the mixing section.
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