Rotary Cooling Apparatus for Thermoplastic Preforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current production plants for thermoplastic preforms or containers, particularly PET, face challenges in increasing automation, reliability, transfer speed, and reducing maintenance and production times, as well as minimizing cooling times to prevent deformation and crystallinity issues during the cooling process.
Innovation Solution
A rotary cooling apparatus with a carousel and radially arranged cooling devices, equipped with picking and releasing devices that translate along the carousel's periphery, allows for high-speed cooling of preforms or containers by efficiently transferring them through a sequence of cooling tubes, optimizing cooling and preventing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If preforms are cooled quickly to room temperature to prevent deformation, then manufacturing precision is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling process is segmented into multiple zones with different cooling intensities. The first cooling zone applies intense cooling to prevent deformation, while the second zone provides gentler cooling, allowing the preform to be cooled efficiently without excessive time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling apparatus uses movable cooling elements that can adjust their position and cooling intensity dynamically. This allows the system to optimize cooling rates at different stages, providing rapid initial cooling to prevent deformation followed by controlled cooling to minimize total time.
2Productivity
If automation is increased to reduce maintenance times, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer star serves multiple functions: it transports preforms between stations, positions them for cooling, and facilitates their removal. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates self-positioning and self-adjustment mechanisms that reduce the need for complex external control systems. The apparatus automatically adjusts cooling parameters and transfer timing based on process requirements, maintaining high productivity while limiting complexity growth.
3Productivity
If transfer speed is increased to reduce production times, then productivity is improved, but reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer star operates with periodic, rhythmic motion that synchronizes with the cooling cycles. This periodic action ensures that preforms are transferred at optimal moments in the cooling process, maintaining reliability while achieving high average transfer speeds through efficient timing rather than continuous high-speed operation.
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 solution enhances productivity by maintaining preforms at a higher temperature for extraction, controlling shrinkage, and producing high-quality containers with increased thickness, enabling in-line quality control and reducing defects.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cooling devices (3) radially arranged along the periphery of the carousel, each cooling device (3) being adapted to substantially horizontally translate along a radial direction with respect to the rotation axis (X), and provided with a plurality of cooling tubes (4) arranged in sequence along the radial direction and each adapted to receive a respective preform to be cooled
Data Source
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AI summary
A rotary cooling apparatus for cooling preforms (P) made of thermoplastic material, comprising: - a carousel (1) defining a periphery thereof and adapted to rotate about a substantially vertical rotation axis; - at least one fixed guide element (6) arranged along at least part of said periphery; - a plurality of cooling devices (3) radially arranged along the periphery of the carousel, each cooling device (3) being adapted to substantially horizontally translate along a radial direction with respect to said rotation axis, and provided with a plurality of cooling tubes (4) arranged in sequence along said radial direction and adapted to receive a respective preform to be cooled; - a plurality of picking and releasing devices (5), each picking and releasing device (5) cooperating with a respective cooling device (3) and being adapted to pick a preform from a transfer wheel, release said preform alternately into one of said cooling tubes (4) and pick said preform again to release it downstream of said rotary apparatus, said at least one picking and releasing device (5) being adapted to translate upwards or downwards transversely to said radial direction by cooperating with said at least one fixed guide element (6) during a rotation of the carousel (1).