Vozniuk V. T., Dr. Mikulionok I. O.

National Technical University of Ukraine «Kyiv polytechnic institute», Kiev, Ukraine

 

RATIONALIZATION OF COOLING PROCESS FOR DOUBLE-LAYER CORRUGATED EXTRUDED PLASTIC PIPES

 

Production of double-layer corrugated extruded plastic pipes is very powerful and resource-demanding process [1]. As low thermal conduction of material and pipe wall constriction do not allow quickly reject heat from outside extruded pipe surface so in time of this process isn’t allow avoid significant discharge power for water circulation in cooling system and this water cooling in fridge. So, cooling process is limiting stage of plastic pipes production, while length of cooling area can be several dozens meters long [2]. In addition, in time of water irrigation cooling water discharging by a meter length can be several stere per hour [3], therefore cooling water discharge for pipe cooling in toto may achieve 100 m3/h.

Vacuum forming of corrugated pipe and preliminary cooling of pipe shell to temperature, in which plastic features ensure pipe shape fixation in time further processing (approximately 100 °С), are made in corrugator, and final cooling is made in bath by irrigation of cooling water on outside pipe layer. Bath quantity depends on dimension type and pipe material and also on productivity of production line [2].

Mentioned mode ensure tolerable cooling only plain thin-walled pipes, in case of extruding multilayer corrugated pipes this mode assumes availability of cooling area with significant length, as inner pipe layers almost don’t cooling, that is conditioned by low heat conduction of plastic and air in pipe goffer. In addition high temperature gradient in wall thickness may lead to an appearance of locked-up stresses in the wall, that negative influences on service properties producing pipe.

Effective method of increase cooling intensity of extruded pipe is using double-side cooling [4]. At the same time mentioned mode needs significant discharge of cooling water, at first for cooling outside pipe surface.

For rationalization of double-layer corrugated plastic pipes cooling process authors have proposed to do outside pipe surface cooling by an air and inside pipe surface cooling to do by an air-water mix that is dispersed inside pipe through extrusion die by liquid atomizer (draw. 1). In addition outside pipe surface cooling is reasonable to do by forced convection. That approach makes it possible to intensify cooling process and rationalize cooling water discharge.

1 – canal for cooling water supply, 2 – extrusion dies, 3 – corrugator,
4 – area of inner cooling by air-water mix

Drawing 1 – Scheme of double-layer corrugated extruded plastic pipes cooling

 

For corroboration introduced hypothesis on base of department chemical, plastic and silicate machine building of National Technical University of Ukraine «Kyiv polytechnic institute» was engineered experimental assembly and respective research was carried out (draw. 2).

a                                                                b

1–4 – thermocouples numbers in compliance with draw. 3

Drawing 2 – Time variation of temperature fields in corrugated pipe wall by outside cooling (a) by irrigated water and inside cooling (b) by air-water mix (D = 400 mm)

1–4 – thermocouples numbers

Drawing 3 – Scheme of location thermocouples in corrugated pipe wall

 

In time using introduced mode process duration was reduced on 17 %. In addition less intensive cooling conditions are realized on both pipe sides, in which less temperature gradient generate in pipe wall and consequently locked-up stresses are less.

Using double-side cooling mode with air-water mix for cooling inside pipe surface and air for cooling outside pipe surface also makes feasible to significant reduce cooling water discharge in comparison with one-side outside cooling, since for creation air-water mix needs less cooling water on 55 % per meter then by the irrigation cooling water on outside pipe surface.

 

References:

1. Охлаждение полимерных труб в процессе их производства методом экструзии / В. Т. Бисеров, И. В. Гвоздев, М. И. Гориловский, В. А. Швабауэр // Полимерные трубы. — 2008. — № 1. — С. 18—20.

2. Микулёнок И. О., Вознюк В. Т. Экструдируемые полимерные трубы. Исследования процесса охлаждения // Химическая промышленность Украины. — 2010. — № 5. — С. 44—46 [на укр. яз.].

3. Вознюк В. Т., Кравченко Ю. А., Микулёнок И. О. Повышение эффективности охлаждения гофрированных полимерных труб // Восточно-Европей­ский журнал передовых технологий. — 2011. — № 5/8 (53). — С. 46—50 [на укр. яз.].

4. Вознюк В. Т., Микулёнок И. О. Экспериментальные исследования двустороннего охлаждения полимерной трубы // Химическая инженерия, экология и ресурсосбережение. — 2010. — № 1(5). — С. 4—7 [на укр. яз.].