Dry Ice Cooling for Stretch Blow Molding Containers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stretch blow molding processes require additional drying steps for plastic containers before coating, as water cooling is not suitable for maintaining a dry state, leading to inefficiencies and potential deformation during filling with carbonated beverages.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing dry ice particles or carbon dioxide gas for cooling, integrated with a coating device, allows for dry cooling and subsequent coating of containers without additional drying steps, enhancing flexibility and throughput by enabling targeted cooling and coating within a compact unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If water cooling is used to cool the blown container, then the container can be cooled for further processing, but the container becomes wet and requires an additional drying step

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer temperatureVSAvoidprocess steps

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dry ice particles (solid CO2) that sublimates directly from solid to gas phase, providing cooling without leaving liquid residue. This phase transition enables dry cooling of the container, eliminating the need for subsequent drying steps while maintaining the temperature reduction needed for further processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs CO2 gas and dry ice particles instead of liquid water for cooling. The pneumatic delivery system transports dry ice particles through a hose to the container, providing a gas-based cooling mechanism that avoids wetting the container surface and eliminates the need for drying equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Temperature

If water cooling is used, then the container can be cooled, but coating cannot be applied directly due to moisture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer temperatureVSAvoidcoating process

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Dry ice particles sublimating from solid to gas provide cooling without liquid contact. This phase change ensures the container remains dry throughout the cooling process, creating ideal conditions for immediate coating application without moisture interference or adhesion problems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

3Ease of manufacture

If additional drying step is added after water cooling, then the container can be dried for coating, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating readinessVSAvoidproduction throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The sublimation of dry ice particles from solid to gas phase provides rapid cooling that leaves no liquid residue. This eliminates the need for separate drying steps, allowing containers to proceed directly to coating and filling operations, thereby maintaining high production throughput while ensuring coating readiness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The dry ice cooling system enables continuous operation without interruption for drying. Containers move continuously from blow molding through cooling to coating and filling, with the dry cooling process maintaining uninterrupted workflow and maximizing production efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system ensures containers remain dry, facilitating effective coating and preventing deformation during filling, while increasing production efficiency and flexibility by using CO2 cooling and integrating multiple processing steps into a single unit.

Implementation Method 1

cooling the blown container with dry ice particles or carbon dioxide gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSublimation: Sublimation

Implementation Method 2

cooling the blown container with dry ice particles or carbon dioxide gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3769933B1System and method for producing a container

Publication Date: 2022.04.27 KRONES AG

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~3

AI summary

The system according to the invention comprises: a stretch blow molding device for blowing a container, in particular a bottle; a cooling device for cooling the blown container with dry ice particles or carbon dioxide gas; and a coating device for coating the cooled container, in particular inside the container; wherein the system includes a transport path for transporting the container from the stretch blow molding device to the cooling device and subsequently to the coating device; and wherein the coating device has a discharge path for discharged the coated container. The invention further provides a corresponding method for manufacturing a container.