Dual loop temperature control system for rubber and other extruders with optional connection for heat pump

An extruder system includes a barrel surrounded by a jacket defining a plurality of zones. Other zones may be in the feed screw and downstream processes. A temperature control unit has a hot water circuit and a cold water circuit each with supply and return manifolds and valves which allow connection of each of the zones to receive either hot or cold water. Each circuit has a single heat exchanger which is used to heat or cool all the water circulating in the respective circuit. The two circuits may be interconnected by a heat pump so that waste heat from the cooling circuit is used by the heating circuit. In this case the heat exchangers become auxiliary. The system permits optimum energy reuse from heated areas to cooled areas, or vice versa, and minimizes additional energy requirements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to extruders, and specifically the present 
invention relates to an extruder with an extruder barrel surrounded by a 
jacket with multiple zones each of which may be either heated or cooled. 
In extruding rubber or plastic materials it is common to provide an 
extruder barrel with a jacket through which a heat transfer medium, 
usually water, is pumped. The jackets are divided into a number of 
different zones each covering a successive axial span along the length of 
the extruder barrel. Fluid, either hot or cold, is circulated through each 
zone to heat or cool the extrudate in the particular zone as required. 
Temperature responsive controls are provided to regulate the flow of fluid 
through the various jacket zones. 
In these prior art extruders, each zone may have its own heating means and 
cooling means. Typically, a temperature control unit has a pump and two 
heat exchangers for each zone, one heat exchanger for heating and one for 
cooling. Valves direct the pumped liquid from one of the zones through one 
of the heat exchangers and back to the zone. Which heat exchanger is used 
depends on whether the zone requires heating or cooling. The two heat 
exchangers associated with each zone are not normally used simultaneously. 
In addition to the inefficiency of using only one half of the heat 
exchangers at a time, excess capacity to heat or cool one or more zones is 
expensive to achieve. Typically, during extrusion of rubber or plastic 
some zones, say two out of five, may need cooling while the remaining 
zones may need heating. Which zones need which and how much may vary 
during an operational run of the extruder and between runs extruding 
different materials. In order to provide flexibility and some reserve 
capacity the heat exchangers and pump associated with one or two of the 
different zones of prior art temperature control units have been 
oversized. These would then be connected with any jacket zone that 
required extra heat or cooling. Such systems then required connecting and 
reconnecting of the temperature control unit with the extruder barrel 
whenever the jacket zones required extra heating or cooling capacity. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides an extruder system with a barrel surrounded 
by a multi-zone jacket each zone of which may be supplied with heating or 
cooling fluid as desired for a particular process or run. Other zones such 
as that within the extruder's feed screw or those associated with 
downstream processes may also be heated or cooled. Excess capacity is 
easily provided and may be tapped automatically for any zone which 
requires it. The excess capacity is relatively inexpensive because it is 
shared among all of the zones. Additionally, the multi-zone extruder of 
the present invention is more efficient because heat extracted at cooling 
jacket zones may be used to heat the fluid which is circulated to heating 
jacket zones. 
Specifically, the present invention provides an extruder with a temperature 
control unit for controlling the temperature at different controlled zones 
either in the jacket along the barrel, within the feed screw and/or at 
downstream process locations. The temperature control unit includes two 
circuits for heat transfer fluid, a heating circuit and a cooling circuit. 
Each circuit includes a heat exchanger, a supply manifold, a return 
manifold, and a pump for circulating the fluid through the heat exchanger 
and the supply manifold to one of the controlled zones and back to the 
return manifold. Valves control the flow of fluid from the two supply 
manifolds through the respective zones and back to the return manifolds. 
Since only one heat exchanger is used to heat and only one heat exchanger 
is used to cool all the zones, each is substantially larger than the 
individual heat exchangers for respective zones in prior art devices. 
However, because each of the heat exchangers of the present invention 
serves multiple zones, its capacity can easily be shared among the zones, 
and it is no longer necessary to have extra large heat exchangers and 
pumps associated with just one zone. 
Additionally, the present invention may be provided with a heat pump 
interconnecting the two circuits. Heat extracted from controlled zones 
connected with the cooling circuit may be used to heat fluid for 
controlled zones that require heat, and vice versa. In this way waste heat 
is recycled and efficiency is increased. 
The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and 
particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the 
annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments 
of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the 
various ways in which the principles of the invention may be carried out.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The extruder 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a barrel 12 surrounded by a 
temperature control jacket 14. A feed screw 16 mechanically driven turns 
within the barrel 12, converts a solid feed into a flowable extrudate and 
forces the extrudate out through die 18 in a conventional manner. The 
process and system requires careful temperature control. The extrudate may 
be natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or other thermoplastic or 
thermosetting material. 
The feed screw 16 includes an internal passage 32a defining a zone, A, 
through which fluid may be circulated. The jacket 14 includes internal 
walls 20, 22, 24 and 26 in addition to end walls 28 and 30 which may 
divide the jacket into four zones B, C, D, and E extending successively 
axially along the length of the barrel 12. Within each zone B-D is an 
annular chamber 32b, 32c, 32d, and 32e, respectively. Fluid may be 
circulated from an inlet 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d, and 34e, respectively, 
through a respective zone A-E to an outlet 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, and 36e, 
respectively. The jacket 14 is formed of welded steel, aluminum, or 
magnesium or any other material with good heat transfer properties, and it 
is formed with an interior cylindrical surface 40 which fits closely 
against the exterior cylindrical surface 42 of the barrel 12. The jacket 
may be separate semi-circular sections and the chambers may be serpentine 
passages through each section. The fluid circulated through each of the 
sections is preferably water, with various additives to reduce corrosion, 
as required. However, other fluids could be used. 
The extruder 10 illustrated includes five zones A-E along the length of the 
barrel 12. However, there could be more or fewer zones. By circulating hot 
or cold fluid through the sections the temperature of the extrudate 
passing through the respective zones may be controlled, as is 
conventional. Further there are processes downstream of the die 18 for 
which heating or cooling of extrudate may be required, and these too may 
be considered "zones". Thus the term "zone" comprehends not only the 
various segments of the extruder barrel 14 and the feed screw zone A but 
also zones associated with downstream processes where heating or cooling 
is required. 
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a temperature control unit 50 for use with 
the extruder 10 of FIG. 1. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the 
art that the drawing of FIG. 2 is highly schematic and represents the 
functional relationship between the parts in a manner sufficiently clear 
to enable one to practice the present invention. However, the actual 
physical arrangement of the parts may differ substantially from the 
schematic arrangement shown in FIG. 2 while their functional relationships 
remain the same. Additionally, the connections between the temperature 
control unit 50 and only one zone, E, will be described in detail, as it 
will be understood clearly that similar connections are provided for the 
remaining zones A-D. 
With this in mind, FIG. 2 shows the barrel 12 with the jacket 14 abutting 
against it. Water is admitted through inlet 34e into chamber 32e which 
surrounds the most downstream portion or zone of the cylinder barrel. The 
chamber 32e may have baffles or other internal dividers (not shown) to 
cause the fluid flowing from the inlet 34e to travel along a tortuous or 
serpentine path as noted above to improve heat transfer. Ultimately the 
water exits through outlet 36e. The water circulating through the chamber 
32e may be either heating or cooling water. Typical incoming water 
temperatures for cooling purposes are approximately 90.degree. F. while 
the outlet water temperature would be about 10.degree. more. On the other 
hand if the water is being used for heating, it might typically have an 
inlet temperature of 160.degree. and an outlet temperature of about 
10.degree. less. 
The temperature control unit 50 includes a heating circuit 52 and a cooling 
circuit 54 which may be used to supply warmed or heated or cooled or 
chilled water, respectively, to the chamber 32e. 
The continuously circulating heating circuit 52 or loop includes a pump 60, 
a heater or heat exchanger 62, a hot water outlet manifold 64 and a hot 
water return manifold 66. A return line 70 connects manifolds 64 and 66 
through a needle valve 72. 
The pump 60 is relatively large, for use with an extruder. The pump 60 may, 
for example, deliver 75 gallons per minute at 30 psi. This is large 
compared to the pumps used with individual zones in the prior extruder 
temperature controls which may deliver typically 15 gallons per minute at 
30 psi. The pump used in the present invention for five heating zones has 
a rated capacity of five times the rated capacity of pumps normally used 
in prior devices for extruders of comparable size. 
Should a particular process require heating at all five zones A-E, the pump 
60 would provide the same heating capacity as provided by comparable prior 
devices. However, it is frequently the case that not all zones require 
heating. For example, it is common for only two zones to require heating. 
In this case the pump 60 would be required to deliver 30 gallons per 
minute, but because of its size it could do so at 47 psi. In this way the 
circuit 52 is able to provide more heating capacity than similarly 
proportioned prior devices. Moreover because the excess capacity is 
delivered to the manifold 64, it is available to all of the zones A-E. If 
any of the heated zones require more heating than can be delivered by 
water at the outlet temperature of the heat exchanger 62 at 15 gpm and 30 
psi, the pump capacity is available to deliver extra water. 
The pump 60 circulates water through heat exchanger 62 to be heated. The 
heat exchanger is supplied with a heating medium such as steam through 
inlet 74, and condensate returns through outlet 76. The heat exchanger 62 
is also designed to provide excess capacity and has, in the illustrated 
embodiment, five times the capacity that would have been provided in a 
prior device to serve a single zone of the jacket 14. In the unusual 
situation where all five zones require heat, the heat exchanger 62 has the 
same capacity as the prior units. However, in the more usual situation 
where one or more zones A-E of the jacket 14 do not require heat, the heat 
exchanger 62 provides excess capacity. In the same manner as discussed 
above with respect to the pump 60, the excess capacity of the heat 
exchanger 62 may be automatically tapped by any zone A-E which requires 
it. 
The flow of steam into inlet 74 and condensate out of outlet 76 of the heat 
exchanger 62 is controlled by a thermostatic switch 78. The thermostatic 
switch 78 senses the temperature of the water leaving the heat exchanger 
62 and controls the steam flowing through inlet 70 by means of a solenoid 
operated valve 80. A thermometer 82 is provided to assist in regulating 
the thermostatic switch 78. 
Of course it will be appreciated that the heat exchanger 62 may utilize 
electricity, a gas burner, or some medium other than steam to heat the 
fluid. 
After leaving the heat exchanger 62, the hot water flows to the hot water 
outlet manifold 64. The hot water outlet manifold 64 has five outlets 90a, 
90b, 90c, 90d, and 90e which correspond with the jacket zones A-E. Each 
outlet 90a-e is provided with a solenoid valve 92a-92e, respectively. The 
solenoid valves 92a-92e control the water flow from the respective outlet 
90a-e toward the jacket 14. 
The conduit 94e leading from solenoid valve 92e is joined at a T-fitting 
96e with a conduit 98e connected with cold water outlet manifold 100. The 
hot water flows through shut-off valve 110e through conduit 112e to the 
chamber 32e to heat the extrudate as it flows through zone E of the 
extruder barrel 12. The water leaves through jacket outlet 36e traveling 
through return line 114e, now cooler than it was when it entered the 
jacket inlet 34e because it has given up heat to the extrudate. 
The return line 114e joins a T-fitting 116e and from there fluid flows 
through valve 130e into an inlet 132e of the hot water return manifold 66. 
The hot water return manifold 66 has five inlets 132a-132e which 
correspond with the five outlets 90a-90e of the hot water outlet manifold 
64 and which receive returning hot water from the respective zones A-E. 
Each of the inlets 132a-132e is provided with a solenoid operated valve 
130a-e, respectively. 
The valves 92e and 130e are solenoid operated valves, and in one embodiment 
they are simply on/off valves, although proportional control valves may be 
employed. The inlet valve 130e and the outlet valve 92e are operated in 
parallel by a controller 134 which includes a temperature sensor or 
thermocouple 135e mounted directly in the barrel 12 in a deep well 
position to be in a location in zone E as close to the extrudate as 
possible, as seen also in FIG. 1. A similar thermocouple, not shown, is 
provided for each zone and is appropriately connected to the controller. 
The controller then opens or closes the inlet valve 130e and the outlet 
valve 92e accordingly at the same time. 
The cold water circuit or loop 54 is much like the hot water circuit 52. A 
cold water pump 150 of the same size and capacity as the pump 60 
circulates water to a heat exchanger 152, the cold water outlet manifold 
100, the chambers 32a-32e of the jacket 14, and back to the cold water 
return manifold 154. A return line 156 and needle valve 158 corresponding 
to return line 70 and valve 72 of the hot water circuit are also provided. 
The heat exchanger 152 has an inlet 160 into which cool water may be fed 
and an outlet 162 from which the water, now slightly warmed by having 
exchanged its heat with the water circulated by pump 150, returns. The 
flow of cold water to inlet 160 is controlled by solenoid operated valve 
164 which in turns responds to a thermostatic switch 168 which corresponds 
generally to the thermostatic switch 78. Also, a thermometer 170 is 
provided to assist in adjustment of the thermostatic switch 68. Cooled 
water leaving the heat exchanger 152 then travels to the cold water outlet 
manifold 100 which is provided with an outlet 174a-e for each of the zones 
A-E of the extruder barrel 12. Each of the outlets 174a-174e is provided 
with a solenoid operated valve 176a-176e which is operated by the 
controller 134. 
When the solenoid operated valve 176e is open in response to a signal from 
the controller 134, cold water flows from the cold water outlet manifold 
100 through the outlet 174e, the solenoid operated valve 176e, the conduit 
98e, the T-fitting 96e and into the chamber 32e in zone E of the extruder 
barrel. The solenoid valve 92e is in this case closed by controller 134 to 
prevent the cold water from flowing back into the hot water outlet 
manifold 64. From the chamber 32e surrounding zone E of the extruder 
barrel 12, the cold water flows through return line 114e to T-fitting 
116e. From there, the cold water returns through solenoid valve 180e to 
inlet 182e of the cold water return manifold 154. 
The controller 134 is used to operate the solenoid operated valves 92a-e, 
130a-e, 176a-e and 180a-e. The controller 134 has the noted thermocouples 
(only one, 135e, shown) in each of the zones A-E. The controller 134 may 
be programmed to circulate either hot or cold water through each of the 
zones. When the temperature in a particular zone requiring heating falls 
below the lower adjustable set point of a range, the appropriate pair of 
valves 92a-e and 130a-e is opened to circulate hot water to raise the 
temperature in that zone. This may continue until an upper adjustable set 
point is achieved. On the other hand, in a cooling zone when the 
temperature rises above a predetermined set point, the solenoid operated 
valves 176a-e and 180a-e corresponding to the zone in question are opened 
to circulate cold water through the appropriate chamber until a lower 
adjustable set point is achieved. 
From the above, it should be clear that with respect to any one zone, e.g. 
zone E, only one circuit, either the heating circuit 52 or the cooling 
circuit 54 is used at any particular time. This is accomplished by opening 
the solenoid valves of one circuit, e.g. 176e and 180e, while the 
corresponding valves of the other circuit, 92e and 130e, remain closed. 
When valves 176e and 180e are open cold water cannot flow into the hot 
water outlet manifold 64 because valve 92e is closed. It must flow through 
the chamber 32e, through return line 114e to the T-fitting 116e. From 
there, the cold water flows through open valve 180e and into the cold 
water return manifold 154 because the solenoid operated valve 130e is 
closed, blocking the path to the hot water return manifold 66. Similarly, 
when operated in a heating mode, valves 176e and 180e are closed and 
valves 92e and 130e are open. Hot water then leaves the hot water outlet 
manifold 64 flowing through open valve 92e, through chamber 32e and return 
line 114e to the T-fitting 116e. The hot water cannot enter the cold water 
return manifold 154 because the valve 180e blocks its way. The hot water 
then returns through valve 130e which is open and into the hot water 
return manifold 66. Closed valve 180e prevents its entry into the cold 
water return manifold 154. 
The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 has been described in detail with 
respect to the valves and conduits necessary to heat or cool zone E of the 
extruder barrel 12. It should be obvious that each of the other zones A-D 
is heated or cooled by means of similar conduits and controls which have 
been omitted from the drawing for the purposes of clarity and which are 
not further described here to avoid prolixity of description. 
The hot and cold water circuits or loops 52 and 54 include some additional 
elements. Make-up water is provided through pressure regulated valve 200 
which may be set at approximately 20 psi. Water from a supply travels 
through the pressure regulated valve 200 and check valve 202 into the hot 
water circuit 52 just upstream of the pump 60 whenever the pressure within 
the hot water circuit falls below 20 psi. Branching off the cold water 
circuit 54 immediately upstream of the pump 150 is a conduit 210 which 
leads to a conventional expansion tank 212 and a pressure relief valve 214 
may be set at about 80 psi. 
FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, and 
similar reference numerals are used to identify similar components. In the 
embodiment of FIG. 3 a heat pump 230 is used to interconnect the hot water 
circuit or loop 52 and the cold water circuit or loop 54, and the heat 
exchangers 236 and 238 become auxiliary, operating only when the heat 
given up by cooled zones is not substantially in balance with heat 
absorbed in heated zones, or vice versa. 
Heated water circulated by pump 60 passes through the condenser 232 of the 
heat pump 230 where it is heated while cold water circulated by the pump 
150 passes through the evaporator 234 of the heat pump where it is cooled. 
By interconnecting the hot and cold water circuits 52 and 54 energy is 
saved because the excess heat drawn out from the extrudate by circulating 
cold water through some of the chambers 32a-32e is reclaimed and used to 
heat the water which circulates around others of the chambers 32a-32e in 
the feed screw 14 and in the jacket 14 surrounding the extruder barrel 12. 
Thus heat removed from some of the zones A-E of the extruder is returned 
to other zones. 
In the FIG. 3 embodiment heat exchangers 236 and 238 in the hot and cold 
water circuits, respectively, have reversed roles from those in the 
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. Specifically, in the hot water circuit 
52 where the heat exchanger 62 (FIG. 2) was used to add heat, now the heat 
exchanger 236 (FIG. 3) is used to cool water circulated by pump 60. 
Similarly, the heat exchanger 152 (FIG. 2) in the cold water circuit 54 of 
FIG. 2 is used to cool water pumped by pump 150. In the embodiment 
illustrated in FIG. 3, the heat exchanger 238 in the cold water circuit 54 
is used to heat fluid pumped by pump 150. 
The reversal of roles of the heat exchangers is a natural consequence of 
using a heat pump 230. For example, when the amount of heat per unit time 
extracted from the cooled zones, e.g. zones A and B, is equal to the 
amount of heat added per unit time in the heated zones, e.g. zones C, D, 
and E, the system is in substantial balance and no fluid need be 
circulated through either of the heat exchangers 236 and 238. 
Now suppose that the demand for cooling exceeds the demand for heating. 
This can be most easily understood by taking an extreme case where all of 
the hot water manifold valves 92a-92e and 130a-130e are closed: there is 
no demand for heating. However, because of demand for cooling, the 
condenser 232 of the heat pump 230 is putting out heat, i.e., the heat 
extracted by the evaporator 234 from fluid circulating through the cooling 
circuit 54. The heat from the condenser 232 heats the water being 
circulated by pump 60 causing its temperature to increase. This heat must 
be removed from the water in the hot water circuit 52 if the evaporator 
234 is to continue operating effectively. Therefore, the rising 
temperature of the water in the hot water circuit 52 is sensed by 
thermostatic switch 78 which in turn opens valve 80 allowing cooling water 
to flow through inlet 240 through heat exchanger 236 and out return line 
242. 
In the opposite situation, where there is no demand for cooling and all of 
the solenoid valves 176a-e and 180a-e are closed the evaporator 234 and 
the water circulated by pump 150 gets very cold because the heat from them 
is being extracted by the heat pump 230 and supplied to the hot water 
circuit 52. In order for the heat pump 230 to continue operating, heat 
must be added to the water circulating through the cold water circuit 54. 
This is done by means of the heat exchanger 238. As the temperature in the 
cold water circuit 54 falls, thermostatic switch 168 opens the valve 162 
allowing steam to circulate through the heat exchanger 238 which warms the 
water circulating in the cold water circuit. Thus the heat exchangers 236 
and 238 are auxiliary in that they function as an additional heat sink and 
heat source, respectively, when the consumption and production of heat in 
the extruder barrel 12 are not substantially balanced. 
Thus it is clear that the present invention provides an extruder 10 (FIG. 
2) with a multi-zone jacket 14 surrounding its barrel 12 supplied with 
heating or cooling fluid as desired for a particular process or run. 
Excess capacity of both pumps 60 and 150 and heat exchangers 62 and 152 is 
easily provided and may be tapped automatically for any zone A-E or a 
downstream process zone which requires it. This excess capacity is 
relatively inexpensive because it is shared among all of the zones. 
Additionally, the multi-zone extruder 10 of the present invention is more 
efficient than the prior art types because heat extracted at cooling 
jacket zones may be used to heat the fluid which is circulated to heating 
jacket zones when a heat pump 230 (FIG. 3) is provided. 
Specifically, the present invention provides a rubber extruder 10 (FIG. 2) 
with a temperature control unit 50 for controlling different jacket zones 
A-E along the barrel 12 and in the feed screw zone or downstream process 
zones. The temperature control unit 50 includes two circuits for heat 
transfer fluid, a heating circuit 52 and a cooling circuit 54. Each 
circuit includes a heat exchanger 62, 152, a supply manifold 64, 100, a 
return manifold 66, 154, and a pump 60, 150 for circulating the fluid 
through the respective heat exchanger and supply manifold to one of the 
zones on the extruder barrel and back to the return manifold. Valves 
92a-e, 130a-e, 176a-e, and 180a-e control the flow of liquid from the 
supply manifolds through the respective zones and back to the return 
manifolds. 
Since only one heat exchanger 62 is used to heat and only one cooling heat 
exchanger 152 used to cool all the zones, each is substantially larger 
than the individual heat exchangers for each zone in prior units. However, 
because each of the heat exchangers 62, 152 of the present invention 
serves multiple zones, its capacity can easily be shared among the zones, 
and it is no longer necessary to have extra large heat exchangers and 
pumps associated with just one zone. Moreover, if it is desired to 
increase the capacity of the temperature control unit 50 only one pump 60, 
150 and one heat exchanger 62, 152 in each circuit 52, 54 need be changed. 
This is considerably easier than in prior units which would require 
changing two heat exchangers and a pump for each zone. 
Additionally, the present invention may be provided with a heat pump 230 
(FIG. 3) interconnecting the two circuits 52, 54. Heat extracted from any 
controlled zone connected with the cooling circuit 54 is used to heat 
fluid for controlled zones that require heat, and vice versa. In this way 
waste heat is recycled and efficiency is increased. 
In actual construction the supply and return manifolds may be positioned 
vertically and substantially adjacent each other with the smaller 
interconnecting lines 70 and 156 being quite short. This provides a highly 
compact package taking substantially less floor space and height compared 
to conventional temperature control units. In addition to easy part 
replacement, it should be noted that the manifolds are modular in 
construction, being really nothing more than a series of interconnected 
Tees. Thus it is simple to add to or remove zones from the system. The 
system then also has an advantage regarding stocking expenses by reducing 
the variety of parts required to a minimum.