Mould Tool Temperature Control with Fluid Diffuser
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed, high-power heating and cooling with fluid jets in mould tool assemblies result in significant temperature gradients across zones, leading to uneven heating and cooling, which is undesirable for controlling the curing process and material properties in plastics and composites.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a diffuser structure that diverges the fluid flow to create a larger impingement region on the temperature control surface, potentially with a conical or frustoconical shape, and using high conductivity materials like copper to enhance heat distribution, along with baffles to manage flow and reduce heat transfer losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high power fluid jets are used for rapid heating and cooling, then heating and cooling efficiency is improved, but temperature gradients across the zone increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature control face is divided into multiple zones, each with its own fluid jet outlet. This segmentation allows independent temperature control of different regions, enabling rapid heating/cooling in each zone while maintaining more uniform temperature distribution across the entire face by adjusting individual zone parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
Different zones of the temperature control face are equipped with different fluid flow rates, jet positions, or diffuser configurations to create locally optimized temperature control. This allows each region to be tailored to its specific thermal requirements, reducing overall temperature gradients while maintaining high productivity.
2Power
If fluid jets impinge on a single point on the temperature control face, then heating power is concentrated, but temperature distribution becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid jet is transformed from a point impingement to a planar impingement pattern through the use of a diffuser. The diffuser expands the jet in one dimension (radially outward), converting the concentrated point source into a distributed area source that covers a larger portion of the temperature control face, thereby improving temperature uniformity while maintaining heating effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A diffuser structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the fluid jet outlet and the temperature control face. The diffuser mediates the fluid flow by spreading it radially before impingement, transforming the concentrated jet into a more uniform distributed flow pattern that achieves better temperature distribution across the surface.
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 solution achieves more even temperature distribution across the mould tool zones, reducing temperature gradients and improving the homogeneity of heating and cooling, thus allowing for better control over the material properties and curing process.
Implementation Method 1
a diffuser between the temperature control arrangement and the temperature control face, the heating fluid may be deflected such that it impinges on the larger region of temperature control surface
Implementation Method 2
heating fluid may be deflected such that it impinges on the larger region of temperature control surface
Implementation Method 3
coat the underside of the mould (i.e., the temperature control surface) with a high conductivity material such as copper
Implementation Method 4
Fluid jets are directed onto the temperature control face in order to selectively heat and cool the tool
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A mould tool assembly (10) has a mould tool component (14) having a temperature control face (24) arranged to be in thermal contact with a mould face (12), a temperature control arrangement (26) comprising a fluid outlet (32) directed towards the temperature control face (24); and a thermally conductive structure (40) extending from: (i) a first region in which the structure (40) is offset from the temperature control face (24) and the structure is in the path of a fluid jet (J) emanating from the fluid outlet (32) to (ii) a second region in contact with temperature control face, which second region is spaced from the first region. A diffuser (70; 80; 90) is also provided on the temperature control face for more event mould tool heating.