Spiral Cooling System in Injection Molds
The spiral cooling system is a high-efficiency cooling structure that uses spiral-shaped cooling channels within the mold to enable uniform flow of the cooling medium. This design rapidly removes heat and is particularly suitable for injection-molded products with uniform wall thickness, symmetrical shapes, or high cooling efficiency requirements.
Structural Characteristics
1. Spiral Channel Layout
The cooling channels are arranged in a spiral pattern, typically surrounding the core areas of the mold.
The channel starts at the mold’s inlet and ends at the outlet, forming a continuous flow path.
2. Channel Coverage
Spiral channels usually cover critical regions of the mold cavity to ensure maximum contact between the cooling medium and the mold material.
For cylindrical or annular products, the spiral cooling system provides optimal cooling performance.
3. Uniform Cooling
The spiral design avoids cooling dead zones, ensuring consistent temperatures across different parts of the mold. This reduces product warping and internal stress.
Advantages
1. High Cooling Efficiency
Cooling liquid flows along the spiral channels, maximizing the contact area and enhancing heat transfer efficiency.
Ideal for rapid cooling in high-production environments.
2. Uniform Cooling
The spiral layout ensures uniform cooling of all product sections, minimizing dimensional inaccuracies and warping.
3. Energy Efficiency and Environmental Friendliness
Effective cooling shortens molding cycles and reduces energy consumption.
4. Versatility
Particularly suited for circular or highly symmetrical products, such as bottle caps, containers, and pipes.
Design Considerations
1. Channel Diameter and Spacing
Channel diameters should be based on the mold size and cooling liquid flow rate, typically ranging from 5 to 15 mm.
Channel spacing should be uniform, generally between 10 to 20 mm, to ensure adequate coverage of the cooling medium.
2. Material Selection
The mold is usually made from materials with excellent thermal conductivity, such as P20 steel or stainless steel. Copper alloys can be embedded in critical areas to enhance heat transfer when feasible.
3. Cooling Liquid Flow Rate and Temperature
The cooling liquid’s flow rate should reach a specific range (e.g., 1.5–2.5 m/s) to prevent stagnation.
The liquid’s temperature should be adjusted based on the product material, generally between 15–25°C.
4. Inlet and Outlet Arrangement
The placement of the cooling liquid’s inlet and outlet should minimize pathway overlap and ensure complete circulation of the liquid.
5. Manufacturing Techniques
Spiral channels can be produced using CNC machining, drilling, or 3D printing. The channel surface must be smooth to reduce flow resistance.
