Mold Protruding Elements Enhance Heat Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional molds for confectionery products suffer from suboptimal heat transfer properties due to dead zones and uncontrolled vortices, leading to inefficient energy consumption and non-homogeneous cooling/heating, which affects the final quality of the product.
Innovation Solution
The mold design incorporates protruding elements at the bottom surface to enhance heat transfer by creating a more turbulent fluid flow, with vortex generating elements that direct fluid through cavities, improving heat transfer rates and ensuring homogeneous cooling/heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional mold designs with flat bottom surfaces are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but dead zones and uncontrolled stationary vortices are generated which inhibit heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by adding protruding elements only at specific locations on the bottom surface of the mold, rather than changing the entire mold structure. These localized protrusions create controlled turbulence in the cooling fluid flow, enhancing heat transfer efficiency without significantly increasing overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies dynamics by transforming the static flat bottom surface into a dynamic flow-controlling structure. The protruding elements actively manipulate the cooling fluid flow patterns, creating moving vortices and turbulence that continuously enhance heat transfer, rather than relying on static heat conduction alone
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional molds with varying wall thicknesses are used, then the mold can accommodate different cavity shapes, but homogeneous cooling/heating of the confectionery mass becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies hydraulics by utilizing the cooling fluid flow itself as the primary heat transfer medium. The protruding elements on the bottom surface manipulate this fluid flow to create uniform turbulence and eliminate dead zones, ensuring homogeneous cooling of the confectionery mass regardless of cavity shape variations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies parameter changes by modifying the flow parameters of the cooling fluid through the protruding elements. These elements change the velocity distribution, flow patterns, and turbulence intensity of the cooling fluid, thereby achieving uniform heat transfer across different cavity regions without altering the mold cavity shapes
3Productivity
If conventional molds are used, then the design is simple and manufacturing is straightforward, but the heat transfer rate between mold and cooling air is insufficient leading to high energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-structuring the bottom surface with protruding elements that prepare and optimize the cooling fluid flow before it reaches the cavity regions. This preliminary flow conditioning ensures that the cooling fluid is already in optimal turbulence patterns when contacting the confectionery mass, maximizing heat transfer efficiency from the start of the cooling process
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
This design results in reduced energy consumption, improved product quality, and increased production efficiency, allowing for faster line speeds and reduced space requirements, while maintaining product quality without fat- or sugar-blooming issues.
Implementation Method 1
The heat transfer rate between the mold/product system and the cooling/heating air is of fundamental importance
Implementation Method 2
protruding elements at the bottom surface of the mold for increasing the heat transfer rate between the mold and a fluid flowing along the bottom surface
Implementation Method 3
vortex generating elements (5) at the bottom surface (3) of the mold (1) for increasing the heat transfer rate between the mold (1) and the fluid
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5
AI summary
A mold (1) for the production of confectionery products, comprising a top surface (2) having cavities (2a) and an opposite bottom surface (3), comprising at least one protruding element (5) at the bottom surface (3) of the mold (1) for increasing the heat transfer rate between the mold (1) and a fluid flowing along the bottom surface (3).