Power Consumption and Flow Rate of a Three-Roll Mill

Power consumption and flow rate of a three-roll mill for Newtonian fluid were investigated. Feed and apron nip clearances were measured by a non-contact displacement transducer inserted in a center roll. The experiment was carried out under various conditions of nip clearance, roll speed, roll speed ratio, fluid viscosity and bank width. The power consumption was well correlated by an equation derived by applying the results for a two-roll mill to a three-roll mill. A simplified equation for power consumption could also correlate the experimental values. Flow rate through the mill was obtained from an equation of material balance. It was found that the apron nip clearance could be estimated with the feed nip clearance and roll speed ratios when the mill was operated in a steady condition.