Nanofluid mold cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9339952-B2
Application number	US-201314409089-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2013
Priority date	Jun 20, 2012
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A nanofluid molding arrangement includes a mold tool ( 12 ) having movable pieces ( 14, 16 ) that move between an open and closed position. When the moveable pieces ( 14, 16 ) are in the closed position, they form a mold cavity ( 18 ) that defines a surface for creating a molded part. The nanofluid molding arrangement also includes at least one injection port ( 22 ) for injecting molten resin directly into the mold cavity ( 18 ) such that when molten resin flows into the cavity and begins to cool, the molded part begins to form. After the molded part begins forming and injection of the molten resin is stopped, a nanofluid having a colloidal suspension of thermally conductive nanoparticles suspended in an aqueous or organic solution is applied to the mold tool ( 12 ), through at least one cooling port, to wick away or draw heat out and cool the mold cavity and the formed part within the mold cavity ( 18 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mold arrangement comprising:
a mold tool having one or more movable pieces forming a mold cavity defined by said one or more pieces, said mold cavity defining a surface for creating a molded part;
at least one injection port for injecting molten resin into said mold cavity and forming said molded part;
a nanofluid having a colloidal suspension of thermally conductive nanoparticles suspended in an aqueous solution or organic solution, wherein said nanofluid is used to cool said molded part;
at least one cooling passage for flowing the nanofluid through said mold tool to cool said molded part;
cooling fins connected to a flange that is fastened to the outer surface of one or more moveable pieces of the mold, wherein the cooling fins are positioned adjacent cooling inlets connected to the at least one cooling passage and cooling outlets connected to the at least one cooling passage; and
a fan positioned relative to the cooling fins for flowing air past the cooling fins to remove heat from the mold tool.

2. The mold arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the nanofluid contains nanoparticles that are one or more of the group consisting essentially of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, copper oxide, aluminum, copper, magnesium, silver, gold, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, carbon black particles and carbon black agglomerates.

3. A mold arrangement consisting essentially of:
a mold tool having one or more movable pieces forming a mold cavity defined by said one or more moveable pieces, said mold cavity defining a surface for creating a molded part;
at least one injection port for injecting molten resin into said mold cavity and forming said molded part;
a nanofluid having a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles that are one or more of the group consisting essentially of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, copper oxide, aluminium, copper, magnesium, silver, gold, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, carbon black particles and carbon black agglomerates;
at least one cooling passage for flowing nanofluid through said mold tool to cool said molded part; and
cooling fins connected to a flange that is fastened to the outer surface of one or more moveable pieces of the mold, wherein the cooling fins are positioned adjacent cooling inlets connected to the at least one cooling passage and cooling outlets connected to the at least one cooling passage; and
a fan positioned relative to the cooling fins for flowing air past the cooling fins to remove heat from the mold tool.

4. A method of cooling a part formed within a mold arrangement comprising the steps of:
providing a mold tool having one or more movable pieces forming a mold cavity defined by said one or more moveable pieces, said mold cavity defining a surface for creating a molded part, said one or more movable pieces has at least one cooling passage;
providing cooling fins connected to a flange that is fastened to an outer surface of one or more moveable pieces of the mold, wherein the cooling fins are positioned adjacent cooling inlets connected to the at least one cooling passage and cooling outlets connected to the at least one cooling passage;
providing a fan positioned relative to the cooling fins for flowing air past the cooling fins to remove heat from the mold tool;
providing at least one injection port for injecting molten resin into said mold cavity and forming said molded part;
providing a nanofluid having a colloidal suspension of thermally conductive nanoparticles suspended in an aqueous solution or organic solution, wherein said nanofluid is used to cool said molded part;
injecting molten resin into said mold cavity;
forming said molded part, wherein said mold tool and said molded part contain thermal energy;
flowing nanofluid through said at least one cooling passage to absorb said thermal energy from said molded part and said mold tool;
transferring said thermal energy from said nanofluid and said one or more moveable pieces to said cooling fins;
radiating heat from said cooling fins away from the mold tool; and
flowing air past the cooling fins to remove heat from the cooling fins and the mold tool.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the nanofluid contains nanoparticles that are one or more of the group consisting essentially of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, copper oxide, aluminum, copper, magnesium, silver, gold, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, carbon black particles and carbon black agglomerates.

Assignees

• Magna Int Inc
• Magna Int Inc

Inventors

• Mcclintock Steven D

Classifications

• B29C45/73 Primary

  of the mould {(B29C45/2642 and B29C45/2737 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C35/16 Primary

  Cooling {(cooling extruded material B29C48/911; cooling preforms for blow moulding B29C49/6427; cooling blown articles B29C49/66; cooling tyres during post cure inflation B29D30/0643)} · CPC title

• C09K5/10

  Liquid materials · CPC title

• B29C2035/1625

  other than water · CPC title

• B29C33/04

  using liquids, gas or steam {(tyre moulds with incorporated heating or cooling means using liquids, gas or steam B29D30/0601)} · CPC title