Energy saving cooling-unit for plastic moulding machine

Abstract

Compressed air is one of the major sources of energy consumption and also one of the most expensive types of energy. Consequently, special attention must be paid to its rational use. This is especially important in cases where compressed air is blowed into an "empty" space. All cleaning and cooling processes using compressed air are typical examples of such applications. They are the most wasteful consumers of compressed air. Measures to minimize air consumption in such cases are presented in the paper. The highly efficient cooling unit for plastic moulding machines has been designed and optimized based on CFD simulation, and then produced using RP/RM (Rapid Prototyping / Manufacturing) manufacturing technology. The developed and specially designed nozzle-system was used for cooling purposes during plastic canister manufacturing. The previously-used conventional cooling system had so far been recognized as the most wasteful compressed air consumer in the company. The newly-designed air-efficient cooling unit, with increased capacity for cooling air, allows for up to 50% energy savings regarding compressed air. ©2011 Journal of Mechanical Engineering. All rights reserved.