A new approach for the simulation of melting in extruders

A new approach for simulating the melting of polymers in extruders is presented. The key feature in the present treatment is that the melting evolution along the screw channel is obtained solely on the basis of the solution of relevant field equations, without making any presumptions regarding the mechanism of melting. Samples of calculation results are presented and discussed in order to illustrate the potential of the proposed method. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.