Inexco - Retrofitting Existing Static Mixers

From Static Mixing to Active Thermal Process Control

The Limitations of Conventional Static Mixers

Static mixers have been established in extrusion lines for decades. By repeatedly splitting and redistributing the melt stream, they can reduce temperature and material variations and improve melt homogeneity.

But homogenization and cooling are two different process functions.

A conventional static mixer can reduce existing temperature differences through mixing. Without dedicated temperature-controlled heat transfer surfaces, however, it cannot provide defined, active cooling of the polymer melt.

This creates an opportunity particularly in extrusion lines where production capacity is increasingly limited by high melt temperatures or downstream cooling requirements.

CMX Approach

The CMX extends the conventional mixing function by adding active heat transfer.

Instead of a passive mixing section, the CMX provides an actively temperature-controlled process stage whose thermal performance can be engineered specifically for the extrusion process.

For retrofit projects, the engineering process considers the available installation space, connection geometry, polymer properties, throughput, melt temperatures, operating pressure, and allowable pressure drop.

CFD analysis can then be used to evaluate the interaction between melt flow, mixing performance, heat transfer, and pressure drop, allowing the CMX configuration to be matched to the requirements of the existing extrusion line.

Key Benefits

  • Melt homogenization and active heat transfer in one system
  • Controlled adjustment of melt temperature
  • Additional degree of thermal process control for existing extrusion lines
  • Application-specific engineering for the existing process
  • Modular system configuration
  • CFD-based flow and thermal engineering
  • Integration into existing extrusion lines
  • Potential to increase the process capability of existing equipment without replacing the complete extrusion line

Turn Passive Mixing into Active Process Control.

Existing Extrusion Line. New Thermal Capabilities.

Extruder machine for extrusion of plastic material of different properties