The Practical Application Of COLOWE Analytical Side Feeding And High Mixing Machine
Introduction: When environmental regulations force process upgrades
In August 2026, the revised version of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations officially came into effect, requiring that by 2030, the recycled content in all plastic packaging should not be less than 30%. At the same time, the global biobased materials market is expected to grow from $47.42 billion in 2025 to $57.83 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of up to 22%. For international customers who are new to plastic modification and plan to try making environmentally friendly new materials, a common confusion lies ahead: what problems do side feeding and high mixing machines solve? Why do two twin-screw extruders need to work together in the same direction?
Nanjing Kelongwell Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. combines the delivery experience of hundreds of production lines to dismantle the application logic of these two core equipment from the bottom level of the process.
1, Why is the high mixing machine the "first line of defense" for modified granulation?
1.1 High mixing machine solves the problem of "uniformity starting point"
The core task of a high-speed mixer is to complete pre mixing, drying, and coating of materials before they enter the co rotating twin-screw extruder. It uses high-speed stirring blades to create a spiral motion of the material, utilizing friction and centrifugal force to achieve rapid and uniform mixing, and has both drying and pre plasticizing functions.
For example, when the formula contains inorganic fillers such as calcium carbonate and talc powder, as well as various additives such as antioxidants and lubricants, the high-speed mixer thoroughly pre mixes each component at 80 to 120 ℃ to ensure that the formula ratio is consistent for each gram of material entering the twin-screw extruder from the main feeding port. For customers who are trying to produce new materials for the first time, this "uniformity starting point" determines whether the subsequent processing can be stable. In the whole line scheme of each cost-effective extruder, COLOWE matches the speed, heating temperature, and mixing time of the high mixer according to the material characteristics to avoid dispersion defects caused by uneven pre mixing.
1.2 High mixing machine directly affects the stability of the feeding system
In actual production, the "bridging" of powder in the hopper is a high-frequency fault. The engineering team at Kelongwell pointed out that by thoroughly preheating and drying the powder - controlling the moisture content below 0.5% - the liquid bridging force between particles can be significantly reduced. Combined with the design of large lead deep spiral groove conveying components, bridging hazards can be eliminated from the source. This is precisely the value of the synergy between the high mixer and the feeding system.
2, The core value of side feeding - protecting the aspect ratio and reducing energy consumption
2.1 Process logic of side feeding
The positioning of the side feeding port is not arbitrary. It is usually located in the middle section of the screw, after the resin has completely melted and formed a viscous flow state. Reinforced materials such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, and metal fiber are added from the side feeder and only undergo mild dispersion in the downstream shorter screw section, avoiding experiencing long range high shear in the main feeding section.
The difference in this time window directly affects the performance of the finished product. Research has shown that the length retention rate of short fibers can reach 60% to 80% when added from the side feed; However, fibers that have undergone strong shear from the main feed throughout the entire process may experience a sudden drop in aspect ratio from an initial value of over 1000 to 50 to 100.
2.2 Data Evidence: How Side Feeding Reduces Melt Temperature Rise
If the filler is not added in the high shear melting zone, the screw torque significantly decreases, and the maximum temperature of the melt can be reduced by 10 to 20 ℃. This is particularly important for thermosensitive materials - taking PET waste fabric recycling as an example, COLOWE adopts a multi-stage forced feeding combined with side feeding strategy, combined with a dual vacuum chamber series devolatilization design, to stabilize the viscosity of regenerated particles at 0.65 dl/g or above, meeting the needs of high value-added applications such as spinning and bottle blowing.
3, How to coordinate the high mixing machine and side feeding?
3.1 Typical Whole Line Configuration
The standard whole line process recommended by Kelongwell is: high mixer → feeder → main feeder and side feeder → co rotating twin-screw extruder → water cooling → pelletizing → finished product. In this process, the high mixer is responsible for the pre mixing and homogenization of all powders, granules, and additives; The main feeding system quantitatively feeds the premix into the first zone; The side feeding system precisely adds fiberglass, carbon fiber and other length to diameter ratio sensitive materials in the later stage of the melting section.
3.2 One key detail: Melting integrity before side feeding
The material at the front end of the side feeding must be completely melted, otherwise it will cause uneven mixing and the exhaust port is also prone to material leakage. This means that the pre mixing quality of the high mixer and the measurement accuracy of the main feeding system directly determine whether the side feeding section can work normally. COLOWE's cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruder is designed with a cylinder body with a length to diameter ratio of 48:1 or higher, allowing sufficient process time for the melting section to ensure that the resin has formed a stable melt before the side feed is added.
4, Kelongwell's Technical Answer Sheet - Data Driven Engineering Practice
4.1 Energy Efficiency Indicators
According to the actual measurement data of Kelongwell, its co rotating twin-screw extruder can reduce the power consumption per ton to 0.25 kWh/kg in the continuous production of PP+40% calcium carbonate filling granulation, saving about 15% to 20% energy compared to the common industry level. In the rPET bottle slice non drying and thickening scheme, a dual stage co rotating twin-screw extruder combined with a vacuum devolatilization unit eliminates the need for crystallization drying, saving 35% energy compared to traditional routes.
4.2 Empirical Analysis of International Delivery
In the third quarter of 2026, Kelongwell delivered 7 twin-screw extruder production lines to customers in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, including 5 cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruders used for rPET thickening, PLA/PBAT biodegradation modification, and PE/PP high filling regeneration granulation. In the first half of 2026, the export orders of cost-effective extruders from COLOWE increased by 41% year-on-year.
4.3 Authoritative external link references
The White Paper on Circular Plastic Processing Technology released by Plastics Europe in 2025 states that the dispersion and mixing efficiency of the co rotating twin-screw extruder determines the degree of mechanical performance recovery of recycled materials. High quality equipment can increase the tensile strength retention rate of recycled PP from 72% to 89%. This conclusion is consistent with the data obtained by Kelongwell in high filling masterbatch samples, which showed that the carrier resin maintained over 90% performance at an 82% filling amount.
5, Key Q&A: Answering questions for customers who are trying new materials for the first time
Q: When I tried to make fiberglass reinforced modified material for the first time, should I choose side feeding or main feeding?
A: It depends on the fiber morphology and target performance. For glass fibers with a length to diameter ratio greater than 3mm, it is recommended to add side feed into a co rotating twin-screw extruder to protect the fiber length and reduce the temperature rise of the melt. For easily agglomerated nano fillers such as short cut carbon fibers and carbon black, they should be added from the main feed and fully dispersed using high shear throughout the screw stroke. The engineering team at Kelongwell will provide screw configuration recommendations and optimize the side feeding position based on your formula.
Q: Can the high mixer be omitted and mixed directly on the extruder?
A: For formulations with multiple components, high filling or containing thermosensitive additives, it is not recommended to omit the high mixer. The quality of pre mixing directly affects the stability of the feeding system. Powder bridging and uneven feeding are the most common sources of faults in extruders, and sufficient pre mixing and drying can significantly reduce the probability of such problems occurring. In the high cost-effective extruder assembly line solution of Kelongwell, the matching between the high mixer and the feeding system has been systematically optimized to help customers avoid operational hazards in the first sample stage.
Q: How can COLOWE help environmentally friendly customers enter with a lower threshold?
A: COLOWE integrates energy-saving design into each cost-effective extruder, and controls the overall cost of the machine while maintaining high standards for key components such as high torque gearboxes and imported temperature control components through modular platforms and lean supply chain management. We also provide a complete turnkey service from material testing to overseas installation and commissioning, allowing customers who are new to extruders to smoothly transition from formula validation to mass production.
Side feeding and high mixing machine, one tube for "end quality" and one tube for "uniform starting point". The temperature difference and residence time between the two are variables that determine the success or failure of modified granulation. COLOWE is willing to use engineering data as a bridge to help every international customer who pursues environmental protection and high cost-effectiveness, take every step from the first feeding system to large-scale production.
