Enter the pounds per hour, specific heat, and temperature change in the barrel to calculate the extruder power required.
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Extruder Power Formula
The following formula is used to estimate the theoretical thermal power required to raise a material’s temperature in an extruder (actual required power may be higher due to losses, phase changes, and mechanical work).
EP = 0.000393 \cdot \mathrm{mdot} \cdot c \cdot \Delta T- Where EP is the extruder power (horsepower, hp)
- mdot is the output mass flow rate (lb/hr)
- c is the specific heat (Btu/(lb·°F))
- ΔT is the change in temperature (°F)
To calculate the extruder power, multiply the output by the specific heat, then multiply that result by the temperature rise to get a heat rate in Btu/hr. Then convert Btu/hr to horsepower using 1 hp = 2544.43 Btu/hr (equivalently multiply by 0.000393).
What is Extruder Power?
Definition:
Extruder power is a measure of the total energy per unit time that an extruder needs to be supplied with in order to properly run.
How to calculate Extruder Power?
Example Problem:
The following example outlines how to calculate an extruder power requirement.
First, determine the output/mass flow rate. In this example, the output is 1000 lbs/hr.
Next, determine the specific heat of the material. This extruder material has a specific heat of 0.55 Btu/(lb·°F).
Next, determine the temperature change within the extruder. In this case, the change in temperature is 400 °F.
Finally, calculate the extruder power using the formula above:
EP = 0.000393 × mdot × c × ΔT
EP = 0.000393 × 1000 × 0.55 × 400
EP = 86.46 hp
