Mixing section for a feed screw and methods of making the same

A mixing section for a feed screw, the mixing section comprising:

• a) an elongated body including a length extending along a longitudinal axis,
• b) a primary flight defining a helical channel and extending from at least a portion of the length of the elongated body, the primary flight helically wound about the longitudinal axis along a primary flight helical path forming a primary flight acute angle with respect to an x-axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis, the primary flight helical path is helically wound clockwise in a first direction about the longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the mixing section, wherein the first direction is defined as generally extending from one end of the mixing section to another end of the mixing section, the primary flight defining a cross channel to allow fluid communication between adjacent portions of the helical channel, wherein the cross channel is defined along a cross channel helical path about the longitudinal axis, the cross channel helical path is helically wound clockwise in the first direction about the longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the mixing segment, wherein the cross channel helical path forms a cross channel acute angle with respect to the x-axis, and
• c) a mixing segment extending from the elongated body and extending along a mixing segment path, the mixing segment path forming a mixing segment acute angle with respect to the x-axis that is less than the cross channel acute angle and is different from the primary flight acute angle, and a y-axis extends perpendicular to the x-axis, thereby defining four quadrants with the primary flight acute angle, cross channel acute angle and mixing segment acute angle being located in the same quadrant, wherein the mixing section is adapted to be rotated about the longitudinal axis such that the primary flight may cause movement of material at least primarily in the first direction while the mixing segment may cause at least partial cross flow of material through the cross channel substantially in the first direction.

A mixing section for a feed screw comprising:

• a) a body portion defined along a longitudinal axis and extending in a first direction along the longitudinal axis,
• b) a primary flight defining a helical channel, wherein the primary flight is helically wound along a primary flight helical path in the first direction about the longitudinal axis, the primary flight helical path forming a first acute angle with respect to an x-axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the primary flight being helically wound clockwise in the first direction about the longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the mixing section, the primary flight defining a cross channel to allow fluid communication between adjacent portions of the helical channel, wherein the cross channel is defined along a cross channel helical path about the longitudinal axis, the cross channel helical path being helically wound clockwise in the first direction about the longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the mixing section, the cross channel helical path forming a second acute angle with respect to the x-axis that is smaller than the first angle, and further wherein a y-axis extends perpendicular to the x-axis, thereby defining four quadrants, and
• c) a mixing segment extending along a mixing segment path, the mixing segment path forming a third acute angle with respect to the x-axis, wherein the third acute angle is less than the second acute angle and wherein the first, second, and third acute angles are in the same quadrant.

A mixing section for a feed screw comprising:

• a) a body portion defined along a longitudinal axis and extending in a first direction along the longitudinal axis,
• b) a primary flight defining a helical channel, wherein the primary flight is helically wound along a primary flight helical path in the first direction about the longitudinal axis, the primary flight helical path forming a first acute angle with respect to an x-axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the primary flight being helically wound clockwise in the first direction about the longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the mixing section, the primary flight defining a cross channel to allow fluid communication between adjacent portions of the helical channel, wherein the cross channel is defined along a cross channel helical path about the longitudinal axis, the cross channel helical path being helically wound clockwise in the first direction about the longitudinal axis along at least a portion of the length of the mixing section, the cross channel helical path forming a second acute angle with respect to the x-axis that is smaller than the first angle, and further wherein a y-axis extends perpendicular to the x-axis, thereby defining four quadrants with the first and second acute angles being located in the same quadrant, and
• c) a mixing segment extending along a mixing segment path and positioned in the helical channel of the primary flight and arranged at a third acute angle with respect to the x-axis, wherein the third acute angle is different than the first acute angle.