Converging Flow of Polymer Melts in Extrusion Dies

F. N. COGSWELL
ICZ Plastics Dioislon
Welwyn Garden City
Herts, England

Practical extrusion processes often involve geometrically com-

plex dies. Such dies are usually tapered, or streamlined, to
achieve maximum output rate under conditions of laminar flow,
These converging flows may be analysed in terms of their ex-
tensional and simple shear components to calculate the rela-
tionships between volume flow rate, pressure drop, and post
extrusion swelling. The analysis can also be extended to cover
the free convergence as fluid flows from a reservoir into a die.
Comparisons between predicted and observed data for a series
of coni-cylindrical dies suggest that using this approach the
pressure drop/flow rate relationship can be predicted within
+SO% and the swell ratio/flow rate relationship within 210%.
Similar treatments have been in use for the last three years in
solving such complex flow problems as radial flow in injection
moulding and two-dimensional annular convergence in blow
moulding dies.

INTRODUCTION in the literature notably by Metzner ( l ) ,Bogue ( 2 ) ,

T h e rheologist makes measurements of viscosity
and elasticity under carefully defined steady flow
conditions; the practical processor commonly works
in less ideal circumstances. An example of this COD-
trast is extrusion, where the rheologist measures the
flow through a long cylindrical die, but the practical
processor operates with relatively short, tapered dies,
often of slit or other profile.
A typical tubular extrusion die of 150-mm diain
costs about one thousand dollars to make. At this
price the processor has a problem which is expensive
to solve by trial and error, and he legitimately turns
to the rheologist for assistance. The processor needs
to know what will be the pressure drop through this
die and what will be the swell ratio as the melt leaves
the die. He also needs to know at what throughput
rate non-laminar flow will occur. The ideal die will
maximise output rate of smooth extrudate and mini-
mise pressure drop and swell ratio, and such optimi-
sation commonly requires an accurate choice of taper
for the converging flow regions in the die.
This paper seeks a method of considering converg-
ing flow in extrusion dies and at their entries. There
are several attempts at the solution of this problem
*Paper prasented at the British Society of Rheology Conference
“Rheology in Industry“-Shrivenham, England, 1970.
64
Giesekus ( 3 ) and Schummer (4)which vary in ap-
proach and emphasis, but suffer from a common mis-
fortune for the practical processor-they require
either sophisticated experimentation or sophisticated
mathematics, even when dealing with the most simple
converging flow. The objective of this paper is to
present a logical study of such flows which gives
intelligible solutions and suggests simple experimental
techniques for evaluating polymer melts. Such an
objective implies simplifications, and where these
simplifications are introduced their relevance will be
discussed. An elementary trigonometric approach pro-
duces relatively straightforward solutions for simple
geometries so that extension of the principles to more
complex flows still gives tractable solutions. The ap-
proach outlined here has been in use in these labora-
tories for three years.
There are three basic modes of deformation: bulk
deformation, simple shear, and simple tension. For
the purposes of this analysis we assume that:
bulk deformations are sufficiently small to be
neglected
the viscosity under simple shear can be described
adequately over a limited range of shear stress
by a power law such that shear stress = constant
x (shear rate)%
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1
 Converging Flow of Polymer Melts in Extrusion Dies

the viscosity under simple tension is independent

of stress. -
equal to 4Q where Q is the volume of flow rate.
.ma
Simple shear deformation takes place when the
streamlines are parallel, but correspond to different
material velocities. Extensional flow occurs when the
streamlines through a cross section correspond to con-
stant material velocities, but are not parallel.
Two patterns of converging flow are of particular
interest: first, the case with axial symmetry, where
the flow is coni-cylindrical as at a change in cross
section in pipe flow, and second, the two dimensional
case of wedge flow in the tapered approach to a slit. For a small element of length, SZ, we may resolve the
The analysis for coni-cylindricalflows will be given in forces parallel to the centre line and obtain:
detail and the results compared with some laboratory
tests. The formulae only will be given for wedge (tips)& = 2h-r (61) sece us cos8
shaped flows. We may now integrate-the full mathematical treat-
The flow in a tapered die produces three compo- ment is given in Appendix I-and obtain
nents of deformation: that due to flow from the reser-
voir into the die (indicated by suffixo); that due to
telescopic shear within the die (suffixs); that due to
extensional flow within the die (suffixE). These are
assumed to be separable and the separately calculated This expression ignores any contribution from accel-
erative shear flows ( 2 ) which have been considered
pressure drops are added to give the total pressure to engender excessive normal stresses. The relevance
drop. In addition each deformation mechanism con- of such accelerative flows depends on the choice of
tributes elastically to post extrusion swelling. We may an equation of state. The equation of state used in
assume that the elastic component due to flow from this paper is that of a non-linear Maxwell body and
the reservoir into the die relaxes during passage for such a material the significance of accelerative
through the die. The components due to simple shear shear flows is minimal.
and extension at the die exit, where the maximum
stresses are usually encountered, then determine the Pressure Drop Due to Extensional Flow
swell ratio. These two components, resulting as they Within the Die
do from geometrically dissimilar deformations, are
not entirely cooperative and it seems likely that the Consider an element of length 61 acted on by an
average extensional stress ( parallel to the axis
greater one will dominate the response and be little
influenced by the lesser.
ANALYSIS-
FLOW IN CONI-CYLINDRICAL DIES

I
I-to-

Then
( S P E ) d = ( UE)AVR (B( r + Sr)' - f12)

t
Integrating-Appendix 11-we obtain
f- r1-
I
I or
Pressure Drop Due to Telescopic Shear
Within the Die
We assume that the viscosity under simple shear where
may be described by the power law us = C i. * where .
us is the shear stress and $ the apparent rate of shear
Yl = -
4Q
&lS

POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. J2, No. J 65

 F. N. Cogswell

Pressure Drop Due to Flow from the die, ao,and the profile of convergence. Appendix
Reservoir into the Die I11 gives:
The flow from the reservoir into the die will also be
of coni-cylindrical geometry. However the boundaries (3)
of the cone are not defined and the melt is free to
take up the coni-cylindrical pattern corresponding to
the minimum pressure drop. In addition Metzner (1) (4)
and more recently Pickup (5) have shown that the
boundary is not stationary. Their measurements on
an- 1
polymer solutions suggest that the velocity at the
edge of the converging stream is close to that at
the centre; my own observations with polymer melts
suggest that the boundary velocity is of the order of
10% that at the centre. It is clear that the ideal solu- where 7 is the viscosity corresponding to v0,
and R
tion should adopt a non-zero value for the velocity is the radius of the converging stream at a height H
at the boundary but it is not clear what that non-zero above the die.
value should be. This paper considers the simplest There is one check for E q 3, its prediction for sim-
solution-the velocity at the boundary is zero. Taking ple liquids. For such fluids h = 37 and n = 1
a non-zero boundary velocity would reduce the en- whence
ergy consumption in the converging stream but would
increase that in the “ d e a d or “recirculating” zones.
As a result of this balance the pressure drop will be
largely unaffected by the choice of boundary condi- now
tion. This surmise is checked (Table 1 ) by excluding y7=w
the recirculating zones with a wide taper die which and so
has very little affect on pressure drop.
Converging flow at an orifice may be approximated Po = 1.64 US
by saying that the melt will flow through an infinite
set of very short coni-cylindrical dies of radius T and then if 1’ is the end correction
cone half angle a,.such that the pressure drop is a
Po r
minimum. From this basis we may calculate the pres-
sure drop at the die entry Po, the angle of entry into
us = -
21’

Table 1. Converging Flowsa

Predicted Values Observed

-
P PO Ps PE Bs BE P B P
Material Die m3IS Nlma NIm2 NIm2 Nlm2 n1m2
Low density PE, 6.4 x 10-8 1.3 x 106 11.0 x 106 0.1 x 108 1.8 2.3 12.4 x 106 2.3 9.5 x 106
(MFI 2.01, @ 190°C 0.4 0.0 1.1 0.0 1.6 1.7 1.1 1.7 1.3
6.4 0.4 4.1 0.6 1.8 2.1 5.1 2.1 5.0
48.0 1.3 10.2 (4.2) 1.9 T - T 12.2
6.4 0.05 1.78 (1.80) 1.8 2.7T (3.63) 2.7T 3.1 1
6.4 0.00 0.78 (4.20) 1.8 T T 2.5
6.4 0.00 0.43 (8.00) 1.8 T T 2.6
6.4 0.00 0.24 (14.00) 1.8 T T 2.4
Extrusion grade PP, C 0.4 x 10-8 0.0 x 106 1.6 x 106 0.0 1.3 1.3 1.6 x 106 1.3 1.7 x 108
@ 230°C C 6.4 0.1 4.7 0.1 1.4 1.7 4.9 1.7 5.2
C 48.0 0.4 8.1 0.2 1.5 1.8 8.7 1.8 9.1
F 6.4 0.00 1.30 0.24 1.4 1.8 1.54 1.8 1.2 2
G 6.4 0.00 0.72 0.34 1.4 1.9 1.06 1.9 1.1 2
H 6.4 0.00 0.40 0.53 1.4 2.0 0.93 2.0 1.1 2
Moulding grade 6.4 x 10-8 0.9 x 106 20.0 x 106 0.0 x 106 1.5 1.3 20.9 x 10s 1.5 19.1 x 106
acrylic, @ 230°C 0.4 0.0 1.9 0.0 1.3 1.1 1.9 1.3 1.8
6.4 0.2 11.7 0.1 1.5 1.5 12.0 1.5 10.3
48.0 0.8 16.5 0.5 1.6 1.9 17.8 1.9 19.3
6.4 0.00 2.70 0.50 1.5 1.8 3.20 1.8 2.3
6.4 0.00 1.45 1.00 1.5 2.0 2.45 2.0 2.1
6.4 0.00 0.82 1.50 1.5 2.2 2.32 2.2 2.4

( ) and T indicate non-laminar flow.

66 POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1

 Converging Flow of Polymer Melts in Extrusion Dies

and comparing these last two equations we obtain I’
= 0.82r. Experimental values for the end correction
for simple fluids vary between one half and one
radius so that E q 3 may be said to meet one estab-
lished limit satisfactorily.
dies Ps will dominate the pressure drop and neglect-
ing the other components. Similarly one may calcu-
late the optimum double taper and so forth,
RESULTS FOR CONI-CYLINDRICAL DIES

Swelling Ratio Measurements of pressure drop, swell ratio, and on-

set of non-laminar flow in a set of coni-cylindrical dies
The swelling ratio components Bsl and BE, are cal- -Table 2-are used to test these derived equations.
culated from (7) as:
Fundamental Properties
Using dies 0 and L the fundamental rheological
properties are calculated as follows : Viscosity under
simple shear,
where y R is the recoverable shear strain correspond-
ing to usl,the shear stress at the die wall at the exit;
. 4Q T US
y=-3 us= (PL-Po)- 7)=-
BE? = exponential C R 7r1.3 21 ’ Y

where eR is the recoverable tensile strain correspond- Elasticity under simple shear (7),
ing to the average extensional stress at the exit.
Then B, the swell ratio, is the greater of BE^ and
Bs~.
Volume Flow Rate for Non-laminar Flow
In ( 6 ) we indicated that non-laminar flow occurs
when the extensional stress exceeds some critical
value (uE)CRITICAL. During the flow through a Viscosity under simple tension, see Appendix I11
coni-cylindrical die uE may have two maxima: at the
die entry due to convergence from the reservoir; and . (uE)AVR
at the die exit due to convergence within the die. c=
A ’
From Appendix I11 the maximum extensional stress
at the die entry is given by

Modulus under simple tension ( 7 ) ,

3
= ( 3 n + 1) g P ,

- shear at yo =
where 7 is the viscosity under simple Maximum extensional stress for laminar flow, Ap-
4Q And from Appendix I1 the maximum extensional
- pendix 111,
d 0 3*
stress at the die exit is given by

These expressions define apparent viscosity and

modulus under simple shear and simple tension. The

Table 2. Coni Cylindrical Dies

By substituting (uE)CRITICAL for (,,)MAX we

may solve for the lower value of Q as the volume
flow rate for non-laminar flow. The optimum single A 0.75 x 10-3 0.5 x 10-3 25.4 x 10-3 0.01
taper die, for a given output, will be obtained when C 1.5 0.5 25.4 0.04
the two equations solve simultaneously. These equa- E 3.5 0.5 25.4 0.13
tions can also be solved simultaneously with those for F 7.5 0.5 25.4 0.28
pressure drop P = Po + +
Ps P E to give the opti- G
H
11.0
11.0
0.5
0.5
18.3
10.4
0.52
0.79
mum single taper die for a given pressure drop. In 0 0.5 0.5 0.0 1.57
practice this can be remarkably tedious, but a good L 0.5 0.5 25.4 0.00
approximation is obtained by saying that in practical

POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Yo/. 12, No. I 67

 F. N . Cogswell

principal approximation in the case of viscosity under

simple shear is to neglect the Rabinowitsch correction
to shear rate due to non-Newtonian behaviour of the
melt. There is similar non-Newtonian behaviour in
the extensional viscosity and non-Hookean behaviour
in the two modulus functions. While Rabinowitsch
type corrections can be made to these functions, to
do so greatly increases the mathematics and it is
then necessary to apply the correction in the reverse
sense when making subsequent calculations. Thus, for
simplicity, I ignore corrections of the Rabinowitsch
type and consider only apparent viscosity and modu-
lus.
The data from dies L and 0 were supplemented
with those from a cone and plate viscometer to give
the fundamental rheological properties of three pro-
duction grade polymers-a low density polyethylene,
a polypropylene and an acrylic polymer. The funda-
mental rheological properties of these polymers are
shown in Figs. 1 , 2 and 3. These three polymers were
selected because of their qualitatively different rheol-
ogy under tension. It is now well established that
low density polyethylenes have a viscosity under ten-
sion which increases with stress (8, 9) and the acrylic
polymer has a viscosity which is independent of
stress (8). Any simple drawing experiment with poly-
propylene reveals that this polymer has a tendency to
neck and this tendency can be interpreted as indicat- Stress N/m'
ing a viscosity under tension which decreases as stress
increases ( 10) . Fig. 1 . Low density polyethylene (MFI 2.0) at 190°C.

10' lo5 10' 104 lo5 10'

Stress N / ~ Z Stress N/m2

Fig. 2. Extrusion grade polypropylene at 230°C. Fig. 3. Moulding grade acrylic at 230°C.

68 POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1

 Converging Flow of Polymer Melts in Extrusion Dies

Pressure Drop and Swell Ratio for Converging Flows

Table 1 compares examples of predicted and ob-
served flows of different polymers in coni-cylindrical
dies.
A difficulty is encountered during the prediction of
Ps by E q 1. For this prediction the power law index
n is an important factor. Unfortunately the shear rate
varies so much in these dies that the power law also
varies. The best solution is obtained by taking the die
as a series of dies each with its own value of the
power law exponent n. However, this is cumbersome
and a simpler alternative which gives very similar
answers is to take as an average value of n

rap = us0 no + US1 n1

us0 + us1

where nois the power law applicable to the die entry A Low Dons& Mytham (MFI 20) at tWC
conditions and n1 that applicable to the die exit. B ExtrwionCirridePoIypropykm al 230%
The observed value of pressure drop is usually C Moulding G n d o Acylk at 2S.C
within 220% of that predicted and the swell ratio F ig . 4. Die entry flow profiles for shear rate 300 sec-1 in
within +-lo%. Large discrepancies occur where non- circular die.
laminar flow is predicted.
Maximum Output Rate for Laminar Flow of predicting too narrow an approach angle. Qualita-
The calculated values for the onset of non-laminar tively the predictions are correct with the steepest
flow, Qn is compared with the observed values in convergence for branched polyethylene. Quantita-
Table 3. The predictions are underestimated where tively the angle at the die entry appears to be in
distortion is anticipated as a result of a high exten- reasonable agreement for polyethylene and acrylic
sional stress at the exit. However, the taper die ex- polymer. The flow path of polypropylene, which ap-
cludes the recirculating zones, or dead spaces, and parently sweeps the reservoir is, however, only poorly
this reduces the characteristic distortion of the ex- predicted.
trudate and so makes observation of the actual onset
of non-laminar flow difficult. The underestimate has ANALYSIS-FLOW I N WEDGE SHAPED DIES
the useful practical advantage of introducing a safety
factor. I
4-
Profile of Convergent Flow at the Die Entry
Coloured markers may be introduced into the
reservoir to observe the shape of the convergent flow
at the die entry. Typical patterns, for a shear rate at
the die entry equal to 3OOs-l, are shown in Fig. 4
together with the profiles predicted from E q 5. The
prediction in E q 5 is approximate because the power
law index varies (increases) as the radius of the con-
vergent stream increases. The error is in the direction ‘“1 I
I” ~
4+/tan +
Table 3. Onset of Non-laminar Flow

Polythene MFI 2.0 @ 190°C Polypropylene @ 230OC Acrylic @ 230°C

QT Calc QT Obs QT Calc QT Obs QT Calc QT Obs
Die m3/s m3/s m3ls m3/s m3ls m3/s

8.1 x 10-8 9.0 x 10-8 30.0 x 10-8 40.0 x 10-8 40.0 x 10-8
7.0 12.0 64.0 >48.0 x 10-8 75.0 >48.0
2.4 7.0 20.0 23.0 >48.0
2.4 4.0 10.0 >48.0 12.0 60.0
2.4 1.6 9.0 48.0 12.0 40.0
2.4 1.6 9.0 30.0 12.0 20.0
2.4 1.2 9.0 9.0 12.0 16.0
2.4 2.4 9.0 9.0 12.0 9.0

POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1 69

 F . N.Cogswell

The flow is independent of die width T . CONCLUSIONS

By a similar analysis to that used for coni-cylindri- A simple trigonometric approach allows calculation
cal flows we may obtain the following equations: of pressure drop, swell ratio and onset of non-laminar
flow to be made for coni-cylindrical dies. The data
.
Ps = -
2n tan+
3Q for these calculations is obtained by capillary rheome-
try with two dies-one long and one of zero length.

PE
[
= ( ~ E ~ ) A v R 1-
2
(?)‘I . Y
, €=-tan+
3
The data from these dies can be interpreted to give
fundamental, if approximate, values of extensional as
well as simple shear viscosity and modulus. The prin-
cipal of the analysis is sufficiently simple that it can
note that the deformation is pure shear and be extended to other, more complex geometries while
UE 4 still obtaining a tractable solution.
--.=-A The relationships between simple shear and exten-
i 3
sional flows and streamline pattern during free con-
vergence from a reservoir are simple and potentially
powerful analytical tools.
This paper describes rheologically complex flows
and
3 Ya
by relatively straightforward formulae. To obtain
tan Po = -
2
(+) these results some simplification has been necessary
but these simplifications do not appear to alter the
qualitative validity of the study. I hope that this
where po is the half angle of convergence to the die
paper may stimulate a more exact analysis bearing
entry.
in mind the needs of industry for tractable solutions.
ANALYSIS-FREE CONVERGENCE
FROM A RESERVOIR LIST OF SYMBOLS
From the analytical results obtained in Appendix Die L, 1 = length
111, we are able to obtain sets of relationships be-
tween the viscosities under simple shear and under
(coni-cylindrical) T = radius = Te,it +1 tan 6
6 = half angle of cone
simple tension. In the relationships us and i, define T = width of wedge (con-
the simple shear at the die surface. The velocity there stant)
is presumed to be zero-although in practice this is h = half wedge gap =
not strictly so; uE and 2 are the average extensional hexit + +
1 tan
components. dJ = half angle of wedge
Flow Conditions P = pressure
Relationships for Coni-cylindrical Flow Q = volumetric flow rate
x 2 B = post extrusion swelling
-=- ratio
T] tan2a = time
Rheology t
i tana U
-
- stress
-=-
Y 2 (simple shear) i, -
= rate of strain = 4Q or
TP
“E=- 1
as tana
-3Q
2Th2
where a is the half angle of convergence. yR = recoverable strain
7 = apparent viscosity
Relationships for Wedge Flow G = apparent modulus
(simple tension) i = rate of strain =
x
-=- 9 1 d
T] 4tan’p
--- (Area )
Area d t
cR = recoverable strain
A = apparent viscosity
E = apparent modulus
2=- 1 Suffixes 0 = at the die entry
1 = at the die exit
as tanp
S = due to simple shear
E = due to extension
Others C, n = empirical constants such
that u = C j ; over a
where p is the half angle of convergence. given range of y

70 POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1

 Converging Flow of Polymer Melts in Extrusion Dies

REFERENCES Consider a converging annulus within the die of

1. A. P. Metzner, Rheol. Acta, 9, 174 (1970). thickness h and radius a. Let the angle of converg-
2. H. L. La Nieve and D. C. Bogue, J . Appl. Polyrn. Sci., a
12, 353 (1968). ence be +. For uniform convergence tan + = -
r
tan 8
3. H. Giesekus, Rheol. Acta, 8, 411 (1969).
4. P. Schummer, Rheol. Acta, 6, 192 (1967).
5. T. J. F. Pickup, Ph.D. Thesis, Cambridge University
( l970).
and-
dh
h
=
a
-
du

6. F. N. Cogswell and P. Lamb, Trans. Plastics Inst., 35, 809

(1967). E -_-- 1 d (2Tah) = --1 ( h - da
+u*)
a-
7. F. N. Cogswell, Plastics and Polymers, 38, 391 (1970). 2 ~ a hdt ah dt dt
8. F. N. Cogswell, Plastics und Polymers, 36, 109 ( 1968).
9. J. Meissner, Rheol. Acta, 8, 78 (1969).
10. F. N. Cogswell, Rheol. Actu, 8, 187 (1969).
2 d a
- --
u dt
-
but
APPENDIX I
da dl a
Derivation of E q 1: - = tan+ -= -tan6 oa
dt dt T
( 6 P s ) d = 2 4 61) sec0 us case
where v, is the velocity parallel to the centre line of
2US
material in the annulus. For a power law fluid given
( 6 P s ) = - (61) by us = CU"
r 1
lt-
but

us=cin,
.
y=-
4Q
T13
i.e.
and

assuming A independent of stress, and so of a, we

may calculate an average extensional stress ( UE)AVR
dr by resolving the force components
then

-
0'
( UE)AVR& = ( U E ) ~eTadu = s,' hi, 2Tada
-
3n tan0 71
r 2
-+ -
1
1
=eTA (-) +
3n 1
n+l
2Qtane
7rr3
s,' a--
a "
1 da
1t-

c
r n J

APPENDIX I1
Derivation of E q 2:
I a+-
(6 p E ) 771.2 = ( (TE )AVR {?r ( r f 6r)' - Tr'}
=A (-)3n + 1
n+l
(s) (-) +tan6 n+ 1
6n 2
whence

and ( UE)MAX, along the centre line, is given by

POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1 71

 F.N . Cogswell

Then whence

--_ 4Q A tan0 [$1'0

3T 71

Consider a second coni-cylindrical

3 die with radii R1
and R2 such that ($-) = x. Let it have included
- htaney, [ l -
3
($7 angle at. If P2 is the pressure drop for such a die then

P2= - a1
tan al
+ b1tan at
APPENDIX I11 when
2
Derivation of Eqs 3 and 4: d = - U S R i [1- xn] = axn
Consider a coni-cylindrical die with radii Ro, exit, 3
and R,, ENTRY, included angle ao.Write
From Appendix I:
(2)3
=x
b' = -[l -XI= bx
2 USRo
Ps = [1- x"]
3n tan a.
From Appendix 11: -tarl a.
n-1

tan a, = x
and
-
i+n

The pressure drop for such a die, P1, is given by P2= x P,

p1 = ps + PE
similarly

- - a
tan a.
+btanao

where

2flSRo A YRo
a=- [l-xn] and b=- [1-~]
3n 3
and so forth.
For a minimum P, Then

dP1 -
- - - + b =aO
d( tan ao) tan2 a.
and

#PI - 2a
-- and is positive
when
d ( t a n a o ) 2 tan3ao
i.e. f(x) = ((1 - P ) ( l - X))"

tan a. = (+) H
l+n

and the minimum value is

= { (1- X " ) (1- x ) } "

72 POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, IANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1
 Converging Flow of Polymer Melts in Extrusion Dies

write i.e.
(l-x)=z i.e. x = l - z and
xn= ( l - z ) n = l - n z + (0)z2
write
-ltn
-
l+n
R
and x 2 =(l-z) =I- (l+n) z+ (O)Z2 -= Y
2 RO
Limit Kx) = Limit f ( z) -
R
-1 U O

= {[nz + ( 0 ) z 2 ] [ z ] ) %
H
-=
RO
ry-
3n-3

cotao.dy

{ ( n+2 l ) z + ( O p } - l =cotao (--)I($)

2
r
3n- 1
-
3n-1
2 -1

r Sn-1

i.e.

(3)
The associated average extensional stress at the die
entry may also be found.
Consider the die Roto R1
Also For the pressure drop to be a minimum the exten-
tan2 a.
2USRo
= -- -* Limit
3n AYRo
3
%1
[ -111 -- x xn sional and telescopic shear components are equal
i.e.
( P E ) i = % pi
--.2v
- n = (~E)AVR [I- -23 XI
nA
i.e. and
Ya
tanao= (+) (4)

where 9 is the viscosity corresponding to the shear

rate at the die entry.
To find tan aR,if R is the radius at some intermedi- i.e.
ate point then
(uE)AV~=-
3 nfl
-Po * Limit
4 2n" -1
-
[ l - 1x n- x I"
3
i.e. =-(.+1) Po
8
3n- 1 and
2
tan aR= ( $) tan a.

--
dR when H is the height above the die
dH

POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE, JANUARY, 1972, Vol. 12, No. 1 73