Gas fired plastic melting for injection presses
The object of this project was to investigate the possibility of replacement of electrical heaters with gas fired burners in the mould flow industry. Different kinds of barriers, why gas is not used in this industry, financial as well as technological, were investigated.
The purpose of this project is to develop a gas fired plastic melting device for use in injection processes. In phase one we uncover all technical barriers as well as functional restrictions, that could block the developing process and introduction on the market. Based on the experiences from phase one the next step in phase two is to decide from what burner concept we can design the plastic melting device. It is necessary that the concept can fulfil all process and product demands uncovered in phase one. In phase three a prototype is constructed. The prototype must be designed to comply with any relevant regulations regarding safety. During laboratory testing in phase four, efficiency and functionality of the prototype are determined. If necessary, alterations of the design will be carried out to ensure optimal design. In phase five the prototype is field-tested, and efficiency is compared with the generally used electric heating elements. Data are used in phase six, to evaluate and if necessary to revise the prototype design. During phase seven technical documentation is elaborated as well as a guide for installation, operation and maintenance
After this a new gas fired burner was designed, using direct heating and flue gas recovery. This was done to obtain best possible energy efficiency. The next step was to construct the gas burner and subsequently to conduct laboratory testing. While conducting the laboratory tests, it was apparent that the design could not function properly with direct heating. Therefore, it was necessary to redesign the laboratory test facility so that indirect heating could be used. The tests showed that it is possible to use flue gasses or hot air to heat up the extruder in the mould flow process. The test also showed that there is a long way to go before the design developed in the project will function according to the technical requirements in this industry
Key figures
Category
Participants
| Partner | Subsidy | Auto financing |
|---|---|---|
| Superfos Packaging | ||
| Ferromatik - Milacron A/S |
Contact
Dr. Neergaards Vej 5B
DK-2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
Thiemke, Rene , 45169600, rth@dgc.dk
Øvr. Partnere: Superfos Packaging; Ferromatik - Milacron A/S
