Patent ID: 8306799

Claim:
A devolatilization performance prediction apparatus for a solution devolatilization process using a twin-screw extruder, comprising: at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions; at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that executes the computer-executable instructions to at least: determine a flow state of a solution comprising nonvolatile mass and volatile mass that partially fills a channel of the two-screw extruder in a devolatilization region by considering a flow state of the solution in a first part of the devolatilization region, a second part of the devolatilization region, and a third part of the devolatilization region; simulate a devolatilization process for the solution with the determined flow state; and predict a performance of a devolatilization process conducted with the twin-screw extruder based on the simulation according to: Ln ( C 0 −C *)/( C L −C *)=( K 1 (2 n− 1)ρ S 1 L ( DdN ) 1/2 +βK 2 ρS 2 L 2 ( DdN ) 1/2 +γK 3 ρS 3 L ( DdN ) 1/2 )/ Q, where L is the flow path length of the solution , L n is the length of the devolatilization region in the direction of the screw shafts, C 0 is the volatile mass concentration at the entrance of the devolatilization region, C* is the gas-liquid equilibrium concentration of volatile mass and nonvolatile mass under the pressure/temperature conditions for devolatilization, C L is the volatile mass concentration after devolatilization, K 1 is a parameter for flow state of solution in the first part of the devolatilization region, K 2 is a parameter for flow state of solution in the second part of the devolatilization region, K 3 is a parameter for flow state of solution in the third part of the devolatilization region, ρ is the density of the nonvolatile mass solution containing volatile mass, S 1 is the length of the first part of the devolatilization region, S 2 is the barrel inner surface length, S 3 is the length of the part of the screw channel not fully filled with solution, Dd is the diffusion coefficient of the volatile mass contained in the nonvolatile mass solution containing volatile mass, N is the screw rotational speed, n is the number of threads of the screw flight, β is the thin film forming efficiency of forming a thin film of solution in the gap produced between the barrel and the screw, γ is the thin film forming efficiency of forming a thin film in a part of the channel not fully filled with solution and Q is the overall processing rate.