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Plastic Chiller-An Ultimate FAQ Guide by TopChiller.

What is a Plastic Chiller?

A Plastic Chiller is a reliable cooling machine configured specifically to control the temperature of equipment and plastic products during their manufacturing within desired ranges.

It uses air or water mediums to cool down the products during various plastic processes such as plastic injection, molding, extrusion, etc.

Considerable amounts of heat are produced during manufacturing, especially for plastic processes.

The temperature conditions directly impact the quality and production rate of plastic products. Thus, a Plastic Chiller is an inevitable accessory for plastic manufacturing industries.

There are various application areas of a Plastic Chiller. However, it is primarily used during injection molding, plastic extrusion, molding machinery, blow molding, aquarium chilling, vacuum thermoforming, casting film machine, and many other applications.

Explosion Proof Plastic Chiller Designed by TopChiller

What are the Basic Characteristics of a Plastic Chiller?

The following unique features characterize the Plastic Chiller:

Temperature Controller

The Plastic Chiller is equipped with a PLC-based temperature controller that ensures the precise operation of the plastic processes by maintaining an optimized temperature condition.

Dry Filter

The unit possesses a dry filter that ensures the accurate working of the unit by eliminating contaminants and humidity from the system. It also enhances the efficiency and service life of the system.

Energy Efficiency

The unit contains highly efficient stainless steel plate heat exchangers to save more than 30% energy. The aluminum fin-type condenser has a highly efficient heat transferring capability and reduced energy costs.

Safety Devices

Various safety devices are contained in the unit to ensure its healthy operation and improve its cooling ability.

The unit retains a low water temperature alarm, overload protection, compressor overheats protection, antifreeze protection, flow switch protection, incorrect phase protection, high and low-pressure protection, and an emergency stop switch to protect the unit from any sudden damage.

Durable Configuration 

The unit has a stable, compact configuration with improved durability. All the components that confront a constant water stream are adapted with a coating of resistive material that prevents corrosion. Heat exchangers are made up of stainless steel for corrosion-free efficient performance.

What are the Primary Components of a Plastic Chiller?

A Plastic Chiller contains various parts, including water pumps, different safety devices, temperature controllers, reservoirs, fans, cooling towers, control units, and many others depending on the type and the application for which it is being used.

However, a Plastic Chiller of any type contains the following major components:

Condenser

The heat exchanger absorbs heat from the system and discharges it out to the environment using various means such as water and air.

Evaporator

The evaporator is the site where the water and the refrigerant come in contact with each other and interchange heat. The hot water passes its heat to the refrigerant and evaporates it.

Compressor

The compressor is meant to compress the refrigerant. It provides the driving force to the entire cooling cycle by increasing the temperature and pressure of the less pressurized refrigerant.

Control Unit

The control unit helps control all the other components by permitting the user to customize different parameters according to the requirements.

Expansion Valve

It pumps the refrigerant towards the evaporator and controls its flow rate.

Plastic Chiller Compressor

How Does a Plastic Chiller Work?

The Plastic Chiller entails a simple working mechanism. It collects heat from plastic products and mechanical equipment and proceeds it through a cycle to dissipate it out to the application area.

The unit uses a coolant, typically water or a solution of ethylene glycol, that recirculates through the cycle. The refrigerant is another substance that interchanges its heat with the water.

The less pressurized refrigerant with low temperature gets compressed on entering the compressor. It means that it has converted to a highly pressurized gas with increased temperature.

The superheated, highly pressurized refrigerant then passes by a condenser. It leaves all of its heat here and is destined towards the evaporator by the route of an expansion valve.

The excess heat uses air or water, depending on the type of chiller used, to be discharged out in the environment by means of a fan or cooling tower.

The expansion valve is responsible for controlling the amount of refrigerant that flows through it to enter the evaporator.

The refrigerant interacts with the warm water returned from the system after collecting all the excessive heat.

The water passes all its heat to the refrigerant, and it bubbles off the surface, leaving the evaporator as a less pressurized gas.

The compressor compresses the refrigerant again to proceed in the next cycle.

What are the Applications of a Plastic Chiller?

The Plastic Chiller is specifically designed for plastic processes that produce enormous amounts of heat.

The heat essentially needs to be controlled within narrow limits. Thus, a Plastic Chiller is an inevitable necessity for plastic manufacturing processes.

Besides, it is used for the following applications:

• Injection Molding
• Blow Molding
• Extrusion
• Thermoforming
•  Molding
• Vacuum Forming
• Metal Industries
• Rotational Molding
• Polymerization Process

What are the Different Types of the Plastic Chiller?

The Plastic Chiller is of two types depending on the plastic process’s cooling mode.

These are:

1. Water Cooled Plastic Chiller
2. Air Cooled Plastic Chiller

Both these types work on a similar principle. However, the medium used for the dissipation of heat differs.

Water Cooled Plastic Chiller

Water Cooled Plastic Chiller uses chilled water to discharge heat to the outer surroundings by means of a cooling tower.

It demands a continuous supply of water. Water is a better cooling medium than air; thus, it removes heat from plastic processes more efficiently than Air Cooled Plastic Chiller.

Air Cooled Plastic Chiller

Air Cooled Plastic Chiller utilizes air as condensing medium to get rid of excess heat and releases it into the atmosphere using fans for this purpose.

It needs to be installed outdoor in a well-ventilated place. It does not require enough water; thus, it is appropriate for manufacturing plants that encounter water drought.

Air Cooled Plastic Chiller

What are the Advantages of Using Plastic Chiller for your Applications?

The Plastic Chiller is preferably used in plastic industries. It is because of its following advantages:

Coolant Temperature and Flow

It optimizes the temperature under precise demands. The flow and the temperature of the water remain constant and, as a result, provide improved production rates and ensure quality.

Easy Installation

The Plastic Chiller does not carry extensive piping networks. Thus it can be installed easily in a short duration.

Increased Efficiency

The unit runs well with a consistent and smooth flow of refrigerant that increases the unit’s efficiency.

Easy Maintenances

The unit is extremely easy to maintain. It requires fewer maintenance efforts and lower repairing costs.

High Durability

The unit is featured with various protection devices; including overload protection, compressor overheats protection, antifreeze protection, flow switch protection, incorrect phase protection, high and low-pressure protection. It also contains an emergency stop switch to protect the unit from any damage and increase its durability.

Low Noise

It operates efficiently and calmly. It does not produce excessive nasty noises.

How to Estimate the Cooling Load for your Plastic Chiller?

Before selecting a Plastic Chiller, it is undeniably vital to calculate the cooling load of your industrial process.

Below is the procedure is given to estimate the cooling load for your Plastic Chiller easily.

Firstly, you need to determine the exact quantity of materials in kg or lbs that need to be processed in an hour.

Divide the calculated above value by the cooling capacity in tons. In this way, you can estimate the cooling load of your application area.

You can customize the above measurements according to the temperature and the rate of processing material.

What are the Safety Devices Installed in your Plastic Chiller?

The Plastic Chiller is equipped with various safety devices that ensure the unit’s healthy and long service life by preventing possible damages.

These safety devices are:

Discharge pressure protection prevents the compressor suction pressure from becoming low beyond limits.

Emergency stop switch permits you to turn off the unit immediately in an emergency.

Anti-freezing protection prevents the water from being frozen.

Flow rate protection allows the unit to shut down if the flow of coolant falls below its optimized value.

Over-temperature protection keeps the unit safe from overheating.

Overload protection protects the compressor from being overloaded.

A low water level alarm device alerts the user if the water level drops below limits.

Wrong or reverse phase protection, High or low-pressure protection, and temperature controllers are also present in the unit to prevent the unit from any kind of damage.

Plastic Chiller Emergency Stop Switch

Why is a Hydraulic Heat Exchanger Used in a Plastic Chiller?

The Plastic Chiller uses a hydraulic heat exchanger mechanism that increases its energy efficiency.

The hydraulic oil passes through narrow passages with larger surface areas in a hydraulic heat exchanger.

They transmit heat from the hydraulic oil to the cooling medium (water or air) that discharges heat into the outer environment.

A hydraulic control system contains a pump driving induction motor. It can be controlled according to the required flow rate of the hydraulic fluid that corresponds to the operational speed drive of the hydraulic actuator.

Thus, the hydraulic fluid can effectively be delivered to the hydraulic actuator. In this way, it reduces the excessive consumption of energy.

Hydraulic Heat Exchanger of Plastic Chiller

How Does a Plastic Chiller Help you Increase the Production Rate of your Industry?

The temperature essentially needs to be controlled within optimized ranges in the plastic manufacturing industry.

If the temperature is not maintained efficiently during plastic processes, the plastic product’s configuration and quality may adversely get impacted.

This is why the use of Plastic Chillers is inevitable in plastic industries.

It directly influences the production rate and the quality of plastic products in the following ways:

• It provides precise temperature control during plastic processes.
• The unit produces a minimal amount of scraps, thus, helps in increasing the production rate.
• It immediately cools down the mold and prevents the product from deforming.

What is a Portable Plastic Chiller?

The Portable Plastic Chiller is a type of chilling device typically used for smaller-scale manufacturing processes in plastic industrial plants.

It is lightweight and smaller in size such that it can be easily transferred from an application area to other.

It is highly efficient with its cooling capacity for its specified application. However, it is not well suited for large-scale commercial areas.

Portable Plastic Chiller has reduced energy consumption and quiet operation. All the essential components are assembled within a unit of movable size.

Meanwhile, it contains all the accessories that ensure its efficient operation and durable life.

It can be air cooled-type or water cooled-type:

Air Cooled – the unit that uses air to get rid of accumulated heat.

Water Cooled – the unit that relies on water to eliminate heat from the system.

Portable Plastic Chiller

How to Select Right Plastic Chiller for your Business?

Following consideration would help you to select the right Plastic Chiller for your business:

• You should select your chiller on the basis of the load of production rate that your industry requires. The material can calculate it in pounds needed to be produced per unit hour.
• Choose the unit that should be durable enough.
• It should possess all the advanced features.
• It should be able to produce an efficient cooling effect.
• You must consider the quality of the chiller.
• Assume the cooling capacity of the unit.
• Consider the temperature range that the unit can handle.
• You should select the unit after considering the rate at which the refrigerant flows in the system.
• You should also assume the capacity of the refrigerant tank.

How Does a Plastic Chiller Helpful in the Injection Molding Process?

The Plastic Chiller is certainly an indispensable necessity in the process of injection molding. In fact, out of the entire production process, 85 to 95% is occupied by cooling.

These huge cooling requirements are efficiently be fulfilled by a Plastic Chiller. It is helpful during the whole injection molding process in the following ways:

1. It secures the equipment used in the process from overheating; thus, it improves the performance of the equipment itself.
2. It dramatically increases the rate of productions by maintaining the temperature within the required limits.
3. The unit improves the quality of the finished plastic product.
4. It prevents the mold from deforming or shrinking.
5. It reduces the internal stress of plastic products.
6. The use of a Plastic Chiller is inevitable in order to produce perfection in the end plastic product regarding its shape, dimensions, and design.

How to Decrease the Power Consumption of your Plastic Chiller?

In order to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the excessive consumption of power of your Plastic Chiller, implement the following suggestions on your device:

• Do not overload your chiller.
• Carry out the proper cleanliness activities for your unit on a regular basis.
• Maintain your chiller regularly.
• Provide a suitable moderate power.
• Operate your chiller at optimized pressure conditions.
• Inspect the flow rate of water and refrigerant regularly.
• Maintain appropriate ambient temperature conditions.
• Prevent your Plastic Chiller from overheating.
• Maintain proper levels of refrigerant and refrigerant oil.
• Immediately repair or replace the damaged or broken components of your device.

Plastic Chiller Cleaning

Why is the Plastic Chiller Important for Plastic Manufacturing Machines?

The Plastic Chiller is essentially used in the plastic manufacturing process.

The plastic manufacturing machines make a perfectly organized plastic by melting and then shaping the polymer material using a mold. This process of polymerization is dependent partially on condensation. The Plastic Chiller helps to attain this condensation.

Along with condensation, it helps to carry out the plastic manufacturing process efficiently to produce an ideal end plastic polymer.

It keeps the equipment safe from the harmful effects of high temperatures and maintains the health and efficient performance of the machine.

What is Screw-Type Plastic Chiller?

The screw-type Plastic Chiller is the chilling device used in plastic processes containing a screw-type compressor.

The screw-type compressor is a rotatory compressor consisting of screws. It is highly efficient in its operation and compresses the refrigerant consistently with its screw action.

It does not involve other accessories like gear, pistons, rods, etc. It is small in size and enables a smooth and constant fluid flow through the system with a higher degree of efficiency.

It can be of two types water cooled and air cooled based on the means they use to dissipate excess heat from the system. Both these types of Plastic Chiller are designed for plastic processes.

Water cooled type screw chiller uses a screw compressor to remove excess heat from the system by means of water. The heat is exhausted out by means of a cooling tower.

Contrarily in air cooled screw chiller, heat is removed from the system using air as a medium. It uses a fan for this purpose.

Screw Type Plastic Chiller

When Plastic Chiller Does Buzzes Alarm?

The Plastic Chiller is equipped with various safety devices that protect the machine from various damages. These safety devices buzz an alarm in case of any hurdle during the normal functioning of the device.

In addition, the unit is advanced so that it automatically shuts down if the device detects an error.

• The low water temperature alarm alerts to prevent it from frosting.
• The alarm buzzes for providing overload protection.
• The flow rate protection alarm shuts off the unit if the water flow rate drops down beyond limits.
• High and low-pressure alarm activates when the suction pressure lowers or rises to the optimized ranges.
• Over-temperature protection prevents the temperature from exceeding.

Why Does a Plastic Chiller Use in the Process of Vacuum Forming?

Vacuum forming is the simplified form of thermoforming. An enormous amount of heat is produced during this process, and the temperature needs to be controlled within specific ranges.

The Plastic Chiller plays the role of controlling the temperature. It provides a source of instant cooling just after shaping and prevents it from deforming.

Thus, it is an ideal way of providing process cooling in the process of vacuum forming.

How Figure Out the Efficiency of your Plastic Chiller?

You can easily figure out the efficiency of your Plastic Chiller. It is measured in terms of COP that refers to the Coefficient Of Performance.

Coefficient Of Performance is simply a ratio of the refrigeration effect produced by the unit and the amount of electrical energy that the unit used to produce the refrigeration effect.

Both these quantities are measured in Kilowatts (kW).

Coefficient Of Performance = Refrigeration effect produced by the unit / The amount of electrical energy used

For instance, if the Plastic Chiller produces a cooling effect of 8,533,364BTU/h, that is 2,500kW in watts. The electrical power consumption is 460kW to produce this cooling effect. Convert the BTUs into kW by dividing it to 3412.

In this case, the efficiency or the Coefficient Of Performance for the device will be 5.4 as per calculation.

2,500kW / 460kW = 5.4

This means that the device will produce a cooling effect of 5.4kW for every 1kW of power.

How to Fix the Problems of your Plastic Chiller?

In order to fix the problem of your Plastic Chiller, firstly analyze the cause of the problem and try to fix it accordingly.

A few of the most common problems and the ways to fix them are discussed below:

Startup Failure

If your unit is not running, check the circuit breaker and fuse, or simply the power switch may be turned off.

Insufficient Cooling

Assure that the device is producing a sufficient cooling effect. If it is not, check the outlet water temperature.

Optimize it at a set point. The evaporator may get iced up, or the heat exchange properties of the device are declined.

Recheck the ambient temperature of the device; maybe it is getting extremely high.

Inadequate Flow of Water

Check that the pump is running well. Process line restriction, closed valve, failed pump, or inadequate coolant volume may be the cause of restricting the sufficient flow of water through the process.

Check for any damaged, missing, or loose insulation in the piping between the process and the chiller.

High Ambient Temperature 

Sometimes, the Plastic Chiller does not operate properly due to high ambient temperature. It usually happens due to any environmental change or when the device is installed in a new place.

In order to deal with the problem, either try to reduce the ambient temperature or recheck the factory settings and set it according to the ambient temperature conditions.

Low Discharge Pressure

The alarm for a low discharge pressure starts noising when the refrigerant discharge pressure falls down beyond limits.

It is usually caused by clogging of the condenser tubing, low ambient temperatures, refrigerant leakage, or uncharged refrigerant level.

Maintain your device regularly and check for any refrigerant leakage, ambient temperature conditions, and refrigerant level.

Plastic Chiller Refrigerant Leakage Checking