Method and equipment for electromagnetic dynamic plasticating extrusion of polymer materials

An electromagnetic dynamic plasticating extruder for polymer materials, comprising:

• input and output conduit means;
• a lower support base (10);
• electromagnetic winding means (1) formed about an axis and mounted on the lower support base;
• electromagnetic bearing means (6) fixed to the lower support base;
• metal moving means generally circumvented by, and movable with respect to, the electromagnetic winding means, the metal moving means being spaced radially from said winding means with respect to said axis by a radial magnetic levitation gap during operation, and being spaced axially from the electromagnetic bearing means during operation to form an axial magnetic levitation gap;
• stationary means fixed to the support base and cooperating with the metal moving means to form a processing space communicating with the input and output conduit means;
• and
• means defining helical channels for conveying the materials through at least a portion of the processing space.

AN electromagnetic dynamic plasticating extruder for polymer materials comprising:

• electromagnetic winding means;
• an outer barrel disposed about an outer barrel axis, and vibrationally supported in radial magnetic levitation during operation by said electromagnetic winding means, the barrel having upstream and downstream end portions at which the polymer material respectively enters and exits, the outer barrel having an upstream headface,
• outer screw means disposed about an outer screw axis and positioned within the outer barrel generally co-axially therewith, the outer screw means having upstream and downstream end portions at which the polymer material respectively enters and exits, the outer screw having a downstream headface,
• the outer barrel being rotatable about its respective axis during operation to define a portion of space between the outer barrel and an outer screw wherein polymer material is processed, said processing space portion having helical channels formed therein for conveying the polymer material,
• an electromagnetic bearing means fixed to a support base to provide an axial magnetic levitation gap between the bearing and the outer barrel during operation,
• the upstream headface of the outer barrel having from 3 to 9 spiral channels through which material entering the processing space must pass;
• an inner barrel disposed about an inner barrel axis and substantially encased within, and affixed to, the outer screw means, the inner barrel having upstream and downstream portions at which the polymer material respectively enters and exits;
• and
• inner screw means disposed along an inner screw axis and affixed generally co-axially within the outer barrel, the inner screw means having upstream and downstream end portions at which the polymer material respectively enters and exits,
• a gap being defined between the exterior of the inner screw means and the interior of the inner barrel to form a portion of the processing space in communication with the space formed between the interior of the outer barrel and the exterior of the inner screw means;
• and
• input conduit means for permitting the entry of material into the processing space along the upstream headface of the outer barrel and into the processing space,
• the conduit means and the upstream headface of the outer barrel each having a plurality of spiral channels formed therein.