HVAC, pump, and dehumidifier combined utilities skid supporting blow-molding machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10723060-B2
Application number	US-201815937946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A multi-functional utility skid for use with an air compressor, a chiller, and a connection having a first end engaging the chiller and a second end to provide utilities to a blow-molding machine for blow-molding articles. The skid is located proximate the machine and includes a pump engaging the second end of the connection, receiving chilled water from the chiller, being located proximate the chiller to minimize the length of the connection, and providing chilled water to both the machine and a separate supply of chilled water. The skid further includes an integral unit combining a dehumidifier that controls the humidity of the environment surrounding the machine with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit that receives the supply of chilled water from the pump, controls the temperature of the environment surrounding the machine, and supplies conditioned air to the dehumidifier thereby avoiding the need for a heat exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for blow-molding articles, the system comprising:
a blow-molding machine having molds and a surrounding environment;
an air compressor located proximate the blow-molding machine and configured to supply compressed air to the blow-molding machine;
a chiller located remotely from the blow-molding machine and configured to provide chilled water;
a connection having a first end engaging the chiller and a second end; and
a multi-functional utility skid located proximate the blow-molding machine and including:
(a) a pump configured to engage the second end of the connection and receive chilled water from the chiller, the pump further configured to provide chilled water to the blow-molding machine and to a separate supply of chilled water; and
(b) an integral unit combining a dehumidifier with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit, wherein the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit is configured to (i) engage the pump via a direct connection, (ii) receive the supply of chilled water from the pump, (iii) control the temperature of the environment surrounding the blow-molding machine via a first air stream, and (iv) supply a conditioned air stream and an unconditioned air stream to the dehumidifier without a heat exchanger, the dehumidifier and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit being separated by an adjoining interface having two ports through which respectively pass the conditioned air stream and the unconditioned air stream from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit to the dehumidifier.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-functional utility skid further includes a single blower configured to receive ambient air through an air inlet and provide that air to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit is configured to divide the air received from the single blower into three, separate air flows, namely the first air stream, the conditioned air stream, and the unconditioned air stream that exit the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit through three separate discharge points.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a single chiller.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the chiller has a side, a rear, and a control panel and both the blow-molding machine and the multi-functional utility skid are both located at least 183 cm from the side, 183 cm from the rear, and 122 cm from the control panel.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises at least one microprocessor configured to control the chiller or to assure continuous automatic operation of the dehumidifier or both.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-functional utility skid directly contacts the blow-molding machine.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pump is a single stage centrifugal pump.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pump is integrated with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit and the dehumidifier as part of the integral unit.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifier uses desiccants to remove moisture from the conditioned air stream supplied by the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit and deliver a dry conditioned air stream.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit produces waste heat and the waste heat is used to reactivate the dehumidifier.

12. A multi-functional utility skid for use with an air compressor, a chiller, and a connection having a first end engaging the chiller and a second end, the skid providing utilities to a blow-molding machine for blow-molding articles in an environment and being located proximate the blow-molding machine and comprising:
(a) a pump configured to engage the second end of the connection and receive chilled water from the chiller, the pump further configured to provide chilled water to the blow-molding machine and to a separate supply of chilled water; and
(b) an integral unit combining a dehumidifier with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit, wherein the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit is configured to (i) engage the pump via a direct connection, (ii) receive the supply of chilled water from the pump, (iii) control the temperature of the environment surrounding the blow-molding machine via a first air stream, and (iv) supply a conditioned air stream and an unconditioned air stream to the dehumidifier without a heat exchanger, the dehumidifier and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit being separated by an adjoining interface having two ports through which respectively pass the conditioned air stream and the unconditioned air stream from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit to the dehumidifier.

13. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 12 , further comprising a single blower configured to receive ambient air through an air inlet and provide that air to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit.

14. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 13 , wherein the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit is configured to divide the air received from the single blower into three, separate air flows, namely the first air stream, the conditioned air stream, and the unconditioned air stream that exit the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit through three separate discharge points.

15. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 12 , further comprising at least one microprocessor configured to assure continuous automatic operation of the dehumidifier.

16. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 12 , wherein the pump is a single stage centrifugal pump.

17. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 12 , wherein the pump is integrated with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit and the dehumidifier as part of the integral unit.

18. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 12 , wherein the dehumidifier uses desiccants to remove moisture from the conditioned air stream supplied by the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit and deliver a dry conditioned air stream.

19. The multi-functional utility skid according to claim 12 , wherein the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit produces waste heat and the waste heat is used to reactivate the dehumidifier.

20. A multi-functional utility skid for use with an air compressor, a chiller, and a connection having a first end engaging the chiller and a second end, the skid providing utilities to a blow-molding machine for blow-molding articles in an environment and being located proximate the blow-molding machine and comprising, as an integral unit:
(a) a pump configured to engage the second end of the connection and receive chilled water from the chiller, the pump further configured to provide chilled water to the blow-molding machine and to a separate supply of chilled water;
(b) a dehumidifier using desiccants to remove moisture from a conditioned air stream and deliver a dry conditioned air stream;
(c) a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit configured to (i) engage the pump via a direct connection, (ii) receive the supply of chilled water from the pump, (iii) control the temperature of the environment surrounding the blow-molding machine via a first air stream, (iv) supply the conditi

Assignees

• Graham Packaging Co

Inventors

• Reichler John R
• Havekotte Thomas

Classifications

• B29C49/28008

  mounting, exchanging or centering machine parts, e.g. modular parts · CPC title

• B29C2049/4699

  Air conditioned room · CPC title

• B29C49/46

  characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air · CPC title

• B29C49/64 Primary

  Heating or cooling preforms, parisons or blown articles · CPC title

• B29C2049/4641

  being a cooled gas, i.e. gas with a temperature lower than ambient temperature · CPC title