Special production: Extrusion in an ATEX environment

Applications in potentially explosive atmospheres place special demands on process engineering equipment. Three-Tec offers solutions for gravimetric feeding systems and extruders with ATEX certification.

With certification according to ATEX guidelines, equipment in process engineering can be used in potentially explosive environments. Three-Tec recently completed a project with ATEX certification for the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT.

ATEX zone: II 2G Ex h IIB T4 Gb
Extruder: ZE 12 HMI
Metering device: ZD 9 FB-C-1M DN 150 - gravimetric
System throughput: up to 2.5 kg/h (depending on material)
Application: Research
Customer: Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT

The customer approached Three-Tec with the request to be able to homogeneously incorporate particulate fillers into a polymer matrix using an extruder. The processable viscosities were specified to be at least 106 mPa*. Since an explosive gas mixture can arise during production, the devices had to be able to be certified according to ATEX zone II 2G Ex h IIB T4 Gb.

In order to achieve the best extrusion results with these requirements, a ZE 12 HMI co-rotating twin screw extruder with a screw diameter of 12 millimeters was developed and produced as a special design. The barrel was equipped with liquid temperature control and sensors for barrel and product temperature as well as pressure monitoring. With the matching ZD 9 FB flat-bottom feeder, the powdered products with a bulk density of 0.25 to 1.6 kg/dm3 can be precisely fed gravimetrically to the extruder. The extruder incl. gravimetric feeding is controlled via Ethernet connection by a PC, which is operated in a control room separate from the production room.

The concept of the plant:

The final product:

Do you also have a very special application for which you need a solution exactly according to your requirements? Thanks to the in-house development and manufacture of our products at our site in Seon AG, we can offer our customers the highest quality standards and the greatest possible flexibility and implement solutions according to customer requirements. We look forward to hearing from you.

Three-Tec will be exhibiting selected feeders, extruders and other process equipment at this year's ACHEMA in Frankfurt from 22 to 26 August out. Visit us in Hall 12, Booth E58.

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