Modeling and Numerical Study of Ceramic Paste Extrusion

Abstract

The extrusion processes of ceramic pastes, including 3D printing, are used for the production of high-value products. Ceramic paste extrusion is a complex process which depends on the paste rheological properties, die and extruder geometries, and operational parameters. Modeling and quantitative analysis of paste molding are important to design proper extrusion process for the production of high-value extrudates of desired strength, shape, and morphology. In this paper, the mathematical model of ram extrusion of ceramic materials is established, and the paste continuity and momentum equations for non-Newtonian fluid based on the modified Herschel-Bulkley viscous model were solved numerically. The effects of die geometry and paste feed rate on the distributions of paste velocity and pressure in the extruder and die were investigated numerically. As a result, the steeper radial profile of longitudinal velocity and higher value of longitudinal velocity were obtained in the narrow die. The pressure significantly increases in the die at a high feed rate, and the pressure profile is almost flat in the barrel. The rate of increase of the maximum pressure decreases with an increase of paste feed rate. The pressure steeply increases in the die of small diameter. The maximum pressure linearly increases with the ratio of die length to diameter.