TEMPERATURE CONTROL APPARATUS

Abstract

A temperature control apparatus includes a temperature control branch connected to a feed line for a temperature control medium, a pump system including a pump for conveying the medium, a pump open-loop or closed-loop control device for controlling the output of the pump system, a throttle device having a variable degree of opening for throttling a quantitative through-flow of the medium in the temperature control branch, and an open-loop or closed-loop control device with the degree of opening of the throttle device as a setting value and with a control variable from the group: degree of opening of the throttle device, temperature, temperature difference, through-flow, pressure or a physical value to be derived from that group. The pump open-loop or closed-loop control device provides for open-loop or closed-loop control of the delivery output of the pump system depending on the degree of opening of the throttle device.

Claims

1. A temperature control apparatus for a shaping tool or components of a shaping working machine comprising: at least one temperature control branch connected to a feed for a temperature control medium, a pump system including at least one pump for conveying temperature control medium in the feed, a pump open-loop or closed-loop control device for open-loop or closed-loop control of the delivery output of the pump system, at least one throttle device having a variable degree of opening for throttling a quantitative through-flow of the temperature control medium in the at least one temperature control branch, and an open-loop or closed-loop control device with the degree of opening of the at least one throttle device as a setting value and with a control variable from the group: degree of opening of the throttle device, temperature, temperature difference, through-flow, pressure or a physical value to be derived from that group, wherein the pump open-loop or closed-loop control device provides for open-loop or closed-loop control of the delivery output of the pump system in dependence on the degree of opening of the at least one throttle device.

2. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one throttle device is in the form of a valve.

3. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one throttle device is in the form of pump separate from the pump system.

4. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pump system includes the at least one pump and a motor for the pump.

5. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one pump of the pump system and/or the possibly at least one throttle device in the form of a pump is in the form of a rotary speed-controlled pump.

6. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the overall control system is in the form of a cascaded control means, wherein the outer one is the pump open-loop or closed-loop control means and the inner one is the values from the group consisting of the degree of opening of the throttle device, temperature, temperature difference, through-flow, pressure or a physical value to be derived from that group and is thus the faster.

7. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are provided at least two temperature control branches connected to the feed and provided in each of the at least two temperature control branches is at least one throttle device having a variable degree of opening for throttling a quantitative through-flow of the temperature control medium in the respective temperature control branch.

8. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pump open-loop or closed-loop control device provides for open-loop or closed-loop control of the delivery output of the pump system in dependence on a maximum instantaneous degree of opening of the degrees of opening of the throttle devices.

9. A temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the pump open-loop or closed-loop control device provides for open-loop or closed-loop control of the delivery output of the pump system in dependence on a maximum instantaneous degree of opening of the degrees of opening of the throttle devices having regard to the efficiency of the pump system.

10. A shaping working machine, in particular an injection molding machine, a pressure die casting machine or a pressing machine having a temperature control apparatus as set forth in claim 1.

11. A method of temperature control of a shaping tool or components of a shaping working machine, using: at least one temperature control branch connected to a feed for a temperature control medium, a pump system including at least one pump for the delivery of temperature control medium in the feed, and at least one throttle device having a variable degree of opening for throttling a quantitative through-flow of the temperature control medium in the at least one temperature control branch, wherein the delivery output of the pump system is subjected to open-loop or closed-loop control in dependence on the degree of opening of the at least one throttle device.

Description

[0033] Further advantages and details of the invention will be apparent from the Figures and the related specific description. In the drawing:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the invention, and

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment by way of example of a temperature control apparatus according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a throttle device 6 and a throttle closed-loop control device 7 for closed-loop control of the degree of opening of the throttle device 6 and a pump system 4 having a pump closed-loop control device 5 for closed-loop control of the delivery amount of the pump system 4.

[0037] The two control circuits are connected together insofar as the instantaneous degree of opening of the throttle device 6 (as an example of a control variable) is communicated from the throttle closed-loop control device 7 to the pump closed-loop control device 5 and the instantaneous delivery amount of the pump system 4 represents a disturbance variable acting on the throttle device 6. It will be appreciated that alternatively the control variable can also be communicated by the throttle device 6 to the pump closed-loop control device 5.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a temperature control apparatus 1 for a shaping tool 14 of a shaping working machine (not shown in greater detail) with here by way of example three temperature control branches 2, 2, 2 (the number of temperature control branches 2, 2, 2 is naturally not to be interpreted as limitative).

[0039] The temperature control branches 2, 2, 2 are connected to a feed 3 and a return 8.

[0040] There is a pump system 4 including at least one rotary speed-controlled pump for conveying temperature control medium in the feed 3, the delivery output of which can be subjected to open-loop or closed-loop control by way of a pump open-loop or closed-loop control device 5.

[0041] For each of the illustrated temperature control branches 2, 2, 2 there is a throttle device 6 having a variable degree of opening (here in the form of valves), by way of which the quantitative through-flow of the temperature control medium in the respective temperature control branch 2, 2, 2 can be throttled. The degrees of opening of the throttle devices 6 are subjected to open-loop or closed-loop control by a throttle open-loop or closed-loop control device 7. The quantitative through-flow can be measured by way of sensors 9 and fed to the throttle open-loop or closed-loop control device 7 by way of lines 10. By way of lines 11 the throttle open-loop or closed-loop control device 7 can set the degree of opening of the individual throttle devices 6. The individual degrees of opening of the throttle devices 6 are fed to the pump open-loop or closed-loop control device 5 by way of lines 12. The pump open-loop or closed-loop control device 5 can adjust the delivery output of the pump system 4 by way of the line 13.

[0042] The lines 10, 11, 12 and 13 are to be interpreted only by way of example, any kind of data transmission is possible.

[0043] As long as the degrees of opening of all throttle devices 6 are below a fixed value the rotary speed of the pump of the pump system 4 is reduced. Due to the reduction in the rotary speed, the quantitative through-flow rates are reduced, the throttle open-loop or closed-loop control device 7 reacts with a stepwise opening of the throttle devices 6. The pump open-loop or closed-loop control device 5 now again reacts to the fresh degrees of opening until the predetermined value is reached or exceeded by one of the throttle devices 6. In that way an optimum working point with minimized hydraulic resistance in respect of the entire system with at the same time minimum energy consumption of the pump is reached.