Blow Molding Product Cooling Products(2)
Blue Air Systems›Blue Air CAC Compressed Air Chiller
- −35 °C chilled compressed air
- 120 – 540 Nm³/h, 5 standard sizes
- Production increase of up to 40% according to manufacturer data
Blue Air Systems›Blue Air BMB Blow Mould Booster
- Cools the blowing air to +4 °C
- 160 – 540 Nm³/h process air
- Compact and light, can be installed by the customer
Product Cooling on Blow Molding Machines
The longest and most critical part of the blow molding process is the cooling of the product. The mold draws the heat only from the outer surface of the product. The inner surface of the product stays hot; this both lengthens the cooling time and leaves stress in the material.
Cooling from the inside
Blue Air cooling units blow the product with chilled compressed air instead of normal blowing air. Because the heat is taken from the inner surface of the product as well, the cooling is shorter and the stress in the material is reduced. The chilled air is delivered through special blow pins that direct it to the critical zones of the product; the blow valve block controls the blowing process.
When the cooling time gets shorter, the same machine produces more. The increase depends on the product: thin-walled small bottles and thick-walled jerricans and technical parts give different results. The ratios below are given as manufacturer data.
CAC or BMB?
| CAC Compressed Air Chiller | BMB Blow Mould Booster | |
|---|---|---|
| Air temperature | −35 °C | +4 °C |
| Process air | 120 – 540 Nm³/h, 5 standard sizes | 160 – 540 Nm³/h |
| Output increase (manufacturer data) | up to 40%, varies with the product | up to 15%, varies with the product |
| Highlight | Highest cooling gain, fully automatic integration | Compact, light, low investment, customer can install it |
Both systems are suitable for almost all blow molding machines. CAC stands out for the highest gain and thick-walled products, BMB for thin-walled small bottles and a low investment.
For drying and machine topics on the PET preform side you can look at our article on PET preform production.