Improving the energy and water efficiency in tire curing process by optimizing the condensate drain system

The curing process consumes nearly ۴۰ percent of the energy and ۳۰ percent of the water used in tire manufacturing. In the curing process, the raw tire is surrounded by mold and is pressurized by the bladder. The energy required to maintain the temperature of the bladder and platen is provided by high-pressure steam. The aim of the present research is to propose an optimal control algorithm for a condensate drain system to reduce steam leakage from the outlet of the bladder. For this purpose, first, we analyze the steam flow rate during the tire curing process. The results show that a large amount of steam escapes at the beginning of the steam injection because there is not enough condensate near the orifice plate to seal it. Therefore, in the first seconds of the process closing outlet can save a significant amount of energy and water. Based on these results, an optimal control algorithm for a condensate drain system is proposed which can reduce steam consumption by ۵۷%.

Keywords:

tire curing , steam trap , orifice plate , energy efficiency , water efficiency