DE102016011873B4 - Tempering device, forming machine and arrangement of at least two forming machines - Google Patents

Abstract

Tempering device for a shaping machine with at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel and a supply source for supplying the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel with a volume flow of tempering medium, wherein a feed pump (16) is arranged downstream of the supply source in each of the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel, wherein each of the feed pumps (16) further feeds tempering medium fed from the supply source into the respective tempering circuit (4), and wherein the feed pumps (16) are designed as pumps with an adjustable or controllable volume flow, and that the feed pumps (16) build up the pressure required in the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel, characterized in that the supply source comprises a supply pump (9).

Description

The invention relates to a tempering device with the features of the preamble of claim 1 and a forming machine with such a tempering device.

Relevant teachings in the technical field of the present invention are already known from the prior art. For example, EN 11 2006 001 845 T5 a molding device and a manufacturing method of a molding device. The DE 101 38 597 A1 describes a device and a method for controlling or regulating the temperature of an injection molding machine. Other notable examples from the prior art in this context are the DE 600 17 309 T2 as well as the EN 10 2013 108 998 A1 be cited.

The object to be tempered, i.e. heated or cooled, is also referred to below as the “consumer”.

The term “circuit” in the present disclosure does not necessarily refer to a closed circuit, but rather, for example, to a temperature control channel of an injection molding tool as a consumer including a supply and return line, see e.g. 1 . A supply circuit 1 (comprising a central flow 2 and a central return 3) supplies two tempering circuits 4 connected in parallel (only the upper one is provided with a reference symbol) via a supply source not shown (e.g. supply pump or connection to a public water network or a service water network). Each tempering circuit 4 has a flow 5 and a return 8. In the present case, two tempering channels 7 are arranged in the consumer 6.

In the state of the art according to 2 a tempering water distributor 11 is supplied with the tempering medium by means of a central supply source (here, for example, a supply pump 9). The required flow rates in the respective tempering circuits 4 are set by throttling the individual tempering circuits 4 using throttle valves 13. The tempering circuits 4 can be shut off using shut-off valves 12. A correspondingly high delivery volume flow must be available from the supply pump 9 to the tempering water distributor 11 in order to guarantee the required flow rates in the tempering circuits 4. The requirement for the pump delivery pressure of the supply pump 9 is relatively low, since there are only small pressure losses on this route. A significantly smaller delivery volume flow but a high delivery pressure is required from the tempering water distributor 11 to the tempering circuits 4.

Due to these requirements, a single supply pump 9 with a high flow rate and high discharge pressure is currently used. This results in high acquisition and energy costs.

The object of the invention is to provide a tempering device and a forming machine with such a tempering device, which have lower energy costs.

This object is achieved by a tempering device with the features of claim 1 and a forming machine with such a tempering device. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The idea behind the invention is to distribute the tasks of the central supply source across several pumps. The demand-oriented operation of the respective pumps results in better pump utilization and significant energy savings.

• - mehrere Förderpumpen, die hauptsächlich für den nötigen Druckaufbau verantwortlich sind
• - eine zentrale Versorgungspumpe, welche vorzugsweise einen hohen Volumenstrom erzeugt.

Since the supply source according to the present invention comprises a supply pump or is designed as such, the invention replaces a single, necessarily large-dimensioned supply pump, which delivers high volume flows and high pressures, by:

• - several feed pumps, which are mainly responsible for the necessary pressure build-up
• - a central supply pump, which preferably generates a high volume flow.

In combination with a speed control, there are significant cost and energy savings due to the better utilization of the pumps. The central supply pump does not have to generate high pressures, as this task is taken over by the feed pumps.

The tempering medium can be water, for example.

Throttling can be eliminated by using a speed-controlled pump, which allows the system to be operated at the optimal operating point with lower losses.

A temperature control circuit is preferably designed as a single circuit, but can also include a series or parallel connection of individual circuits (hereinafter also referred to as “partial temperature control circuits”).

Optionally, when using forced-feed pumps, a sensor for flow measurement can be solution is no longer necessary, since the flow in the individual temperature control circuits can be determined from the current speed and the pump characteristics.

In one embodiment, the supply pump and the feed pumps are installed separately. The supply unit (in this example designed as a temperature control device) contains a common supply pump as well as a heating device and a cooling device, which are controlled by a regulation and control unit. The feed pumps installed near the consumer are supplied with the temperature control medium via the supply circuit and provide the required pressure and volume flow for the individual temperature control circuits. Various sensors and valves can optionally be included in both the supply circuit and the temperature control circuits.

In a further embodiment, the entire structure, which includes the common supply pump, heating device, cooling device, regulating and control unit, sensor, valves and speed-controlled feed pumps, is combined in one structural unit (cubature). Alternatively, the structure can also include a tank that is supplied or replenished by means of a pump.

The described embodiments preferably have a control and regulating unit, which can be free-standing or integrated into the control of a forming machine. This processes the signals from the sensors and pumps and controls or regulates the pumps and valves.

The invention can be implemented both as a micro-distribution, in which a forming machine is supplied centrally and the tempering medium is distributed among the cooling circuits, and as a macro-distribution in which a machine hall has a central supply and the tempering medium is distributed among the individual forming machines.

The invention is not limited to tool tempering, but can also be conceived as a tempering device for parts of a forming machine.

Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to 3 to 7 discussed.

Fig. 3:

At least two feed pumps 16 (here: four feed pumps 16), each supplying at least one temperature control circuit 4, are supplied with temperature control medium from a common supply circuit 1 (here: cascade connection of pumps 9, 16).

A preferably speed-controlled (central) supply pump 9 supplies the required high delivery volume flow at low delivery pressure to the tempering water distributor 11. Preferably, each tempering circuit 4 has its own preferably speed-controlled delivery pump 16. This generates the required pressure in the tempering circuit 4 at a relatively low delivery volume flow. Sensors 10 and valves can be present in both the supply and the tempering circuit 1, 4.

The mass flow in supply circuit 1 is always equal to the sum of the individual mass flows in the respective temperature control circuits 4. (Mass flow = volume flow x density).

The temperature of the tempering medium is already set in the supply circuit 1, not in the individual tempering circuits 4. Thus, the tempering medium in the supply lines 5 of the tempering circuits 4 has essentially the same temperature.

The desired flow rate in the temperature control circuits 4 can be set by speed control or by other measures that influence the pump's delivery characteristics (pump characteristic curve) instead of by throttling by changing the cross-section.

Fig.4:

Here, a spatially separate installation of the supply pump 9 and the feed pumps 16 is provided. The supply unit 17 (in this example designed as a temperature control device) contains a common supply pump 9 as well as a heating device 20 and a cooling device 19, which are controlled via a regulating or control unit. The feed pumps 16 mounted near the consumer are supplied with the temperature control medium via the supply circuit 1 and provide the required pressure and volume flow for the individual temperature control circuits 4. Various sensors 10 and valves can optionally be included in both the supply circuit 1 and the temperature control circuits 4.

Fig.5:

Here, the entire structure, which includes the common supply pump, heating device, cooling device, control unit, sensor, valves and, if necessary, speed-controlled feed pumps, is combined in a structural unit 17 (cubature). The structure can also include a tank 21 which is supplied or replenished by a pump not shown.

Fig.6:

Individual components of a forming machine are supplied as objects 22 to be tempered by the tempering circuits 4 (not shown in this overview).

Fig.7:

Individual forming machines (e.g. injection molding machines) are supplied as objects 22 to be tempered by the tempering circuits 4 (not shown in this overview).

List of reference symbols:

1

Supply circuit

2

Central flow

3

Central return

4

Tempering circuit

5

Flow of the tempering circuit

6

consumer

7

Tempering channel

8th

Return of the temperature control circuit

9

Speed-controlled supply pump

10

Sensor and / or valve

11

Tempering water distributor

12

Shut-off valve

13

Throttle valve

14

Central return

15

Central flow

16

Speed-controlled feed pump

17

Housing / temperature control unit

18

Display

19

Cooling device

20

Heating device

21

tank

22

Object to be tempered, e.g.: injection molding machine, tool

Claims (12)

Tempering device for a shaping machine with at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel and a supply source for supplying the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel with a volume flow of tempering medium, wherein a feed pump (16) is arranged downstream of the supply source in each of the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel, wherein each of the feed pumps (16) further feeds tempering medium fed from the supply source into the respective tempering circuit (4), and wherein the feed pumps (16) are designed as pumps with an adjustable or controllable volume flow, and that the feed pumps (16) build up the pressure required in the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel, characterized in that the supply source comprises a supply pump (9). Tempering device according to Claim 1 , wherein the feed pumps (16) are designed as speed-controlled pumps. Tempering device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the sum of the mass flows conveyed by the feed pumps (16) is equal to the mass flow of the tempering medium conveyed from the supply source into the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel. Tempering device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the at least two parallel-connected tempering circuits (4) has at least two parallel-connected partial tempering circuits, wherein the feed pump (16) of the at least one tempering circuit (4) conveys tempering medium into the at least two parallel-connected partial tempering circuits. Tempering device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein a supply unit - preferably a tempering device - is arranged upstream of the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel, so that the tempering medium reaching the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel has substantially the temperature provided by the supply unit. Tempering device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the supply source comprises as a structural unit: - a supply pump (9), a cooling device (19) and/or - a heating device (20). Tempering device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the supply source comprises as a structural unit: - a supply pump (9), - a cooling device (19) and/or a heating device (20) - a control or regulating unit. Tempering device according to at least one of the two preceding claims, wherein the structural unit further comprises the feed pumps (16). Tempering device according to at least one of the three preceding claims, wherein the structural unit further comprises a tank (21) from which the supply pump (9) is supplied. Shaping machine, in particular injection molding machine with a tempering device according to at least one of the preceding claims. Shaping machine according to the preceding claim, wherein the shaping machine has at least two objects (22) to be tempered, preferably mold halves, and each of the at least two objects (22) to be tempered can be supplied with tempering medium by one of the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel. Arrangement of at least two shaping machines according to the preceding claim, wherein each of the at least two shaping machines can be supplied with tempering medium by one of the at least two tempering circuits (4) connected in parallel.

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