Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.46, No.4, 406-415, 2006
Nonisothermal comprehensive 3D analysis of polymer melt flow in a coat-hanger die
The nonisothermal flow of Carreau fluid in a coat-hanger die is studied. A general three-dimensional finite volume code is developed for the purpose of flow analysis. The isobars, the isotherms, and the velocity distribution are obtained. Simulation results illustrated that the highest temperature occurred by the center of manifold, rather than the die-lip region because of the combined effects of high shear rate and poor heat conduction, which is important for processing those heat-sensitive materials. In the regions where die gap is relatively small, the wall temperature plays a key role in deciding temperature distribution in the melt. The validity of simulation results is verified experimentally.