US 12,454,090 B2
Method and apparatus for extruder barrel and shaft cooling
Andrew Paul Courtney, Painted Post, NY (US); William Jay Hurlburt, Avoca, NY (US); Shawn Michael Huyler, Lawrenceville, PA (US); David Allan Leister, Hammondsport, NY (US); Patrick Ronald Shane, Jim Thorpe, PA (US); and Conor James Walsh, Campbell, NY (US)
Assigned to CORNING INCORPORATED, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING INCORPORATED, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/939,211.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/242,800, filed on Sep. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0081830 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 48/85 (2019.01); B29C 48/80 (2019.01); B29C 48/82 (2019.01); B29C 48/92 (2019.01)
CPC B29C 48/834 (2019.02) [B29C 48/82 (2019.02); B29C 48/85 (2019.02); B29C 48/92 (2019.02); B29C 2948/92704 (2019.02); B29C 2948/92885 (2019.02); B29C 2948/92895 (2019.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cooling apparatus for an extrusion manufacturing system comprising a plurality of cooling circuits for at least one extruder, the apparatus comprising:
a supply circuit in fluid connection with a coolant supply that distributes bulk coolant to the plurality of cooling circuits;
each cooling circuit of the plurality of cooling circuits connected with the supply circuit via a first flow control device and comprising:
an inlet that supplies the bulk coolant to a supply line, wherein the supply line delivers supply coolant to the at least one extruder;
a return line that communicates expelled coolant from the at least one extruder; and
a circulation line that connects the supply line to the return line, wherein the circulation line supplies a recirculated portion of the expelled coolant to the supply line and mixes the bulk coolant with the recirculated portion forming the supply coolant; and
wherein the first flow control device is configured to control a proportion of the expelled coolant to the bulk coolant forming the supply coolant based at least in part on an extrusion temperature of the at least one extruder.
 
10. A cooling apparatus for an extruder for extruding structures from a ceramic-forming mixture, the cooling apparatus comprising:
a supply line configured to receive bulk coolant from a supply circuit via an inlet, wherein the supply line delivers a supply coolant to the extruder along a flow path in the supply line;
a return line that communicates expelled coolant from the extruder;
a circulation line that connects the supply line to the return line, wherein the circulation line supplies a recirculated portion of the expelled coolant to the supply line and mixes the bulk coolant with the recirculated portion of the expelled coolant forming the supply coolant;
a bypass line connecting the supply line to the return line; and
a flow control valve connecting one of the supply line or the return line to the bypass line, wherein a proportion of the expelled coolant to the bulk coolant forming the supply coolant is adjusted by the flow control valve.
 
17. A temperature control method for an extrusion manufacturing system, the method comprising:
receiving bulk coolant in a cooling circuit from a coolant supply;
communicating supply coolant to an extruder;
receiving expelled coolant from the extruder;
recirculating a recirculated portion of the expelled coolant and mixing the recirculated portion with the bulk coolant forming the supply coolant;
controlling a proportion of the expelled coolant to the bulk coolant forming the supply coolant by adjusting a volume of the recirculated portion; and
controlling a supply temperature of the supply coolant based on the proportion of the recirculated portion of the expelled coolant to the bulk coolant.