Technical Parameters Comparison of cooling chiller in die casting:

• Water Cooling Technical Parameters
• Oil Cooling Technical Parameters
• Conformal Cooling Technical Parameters
• Air Cooling Technical Parameters
• Spray/Mist Cooling Technical Parameters
• Critical Design & Operational Factors

Die casting is a high-efficiency metal forming process widely used in automotive, electronics, aerospace and other fields, but it generates a huge amount of heat during operation.

The cooling chiller, as the core equipment to maintain the thermal balance of the die casting system.

Its technical parameters directly determine the production efficiency, casting quality and mold service life.

A die casting chiller is a type of equipment used for mold cooling in the die casting process.

Which reduces the mold temperature through the refrigeration system.

Thereby improving production efficiency, shortening casting setting time, reducing scrap rate, and extending mold life.

The technical parameters for die casting chillers involve a combination of cooling methods, capacity calculations, system components, and performance metrics.

The choice of cooling method and system design depends on application-specific requirements such as ambient temperature, cooling load, and energy efficiency needs.

What is Die Casting Chiller?

Die Casting chillers are uniquely designed cooling machines that effectively remove heat from
die casting processing systems.

Which used to preheat and keep the dies at a temperature set point by circulating heat transfer fluid (water or oil) through the die.

Working Principle of Die Casting Cooling Chillers: Three-Cycle Synergy

• Refrigerant cycle
• Water circulation
• The electrical control cycle

Refrigerant cycle

the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator absorbs the heat of the cooling medium, evaporates into a gaseous state.

And is then sucked and compressed by the compressor to become high-temperature and high-pressure gas.

The high-temperature gas releases heat through the condenser (air-cooled or water-cooled) and condenses into a liquid state.

After throttling by the expansion valve, it becomes low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant and re-enters the evaporator, completing the refrigerant cycle.

This process is the key to realizing the cooling function of the chiller.

Water circulation

the water pump extracts the low-temperature cooling medium (frozen water) from the internal water tank of the chiller and injects it into the complex cooling channels inside the die casting mold.

The cooling medium absorbs the heat of the mold and becomes high-temperature water.

Which flows back to the chiller’s water tank for cooling, forming a continuous circulation.

Some large-scale die casting workshops will also configure external large water tanks as “temperature buffers” to avoid temperature peaks and ensure stable cooling effect.

The electrical control cycle

it is composed of a power supply part and an automatic control part.

The power supply part provides power for the compressor, fan, water pump, etc., through contactors.

The automatic control part uses temperature controllers, pressure protectors, time delays, and relays to realize automatic start and stop according to the water temperature.

And provides protection functions such as overcurrent, high and low pressure, and water flow shortage, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the chiller.

Water Cooling vs. Air Cooling

Water-cooled chillers require a separate water cooling tower and are suitable for high ambient temperatures, while air-cooled chillers are easier to install and save space.

Other Cooling Methods: Various cooling methods, including oil cooling, conformal cooling, and spray/mist cooling, each with specific applications and advantages .

Water Cooling Technical Parameters

Temperature Range: 10–30°C (maintained by closed-loop chillers)
Cooling Speed: High (ideal for high-volume production)
Heat Transfer Efficiency: ~2–4x higher than oil cooling
Maintenance: Moderate (risk of corrosion, requires water treatment)
Applications: Aluminum, zinc alloys (e.g., automotive parts)

Critical Design Parameters

Channel diameter: 8–20 mm (optimized for turbulent flow)
Distance from die surface: 2× channel diameter (e.g., 16–20 mm to avoid cracking)

Oil Cooling Technical Parameters

Temperature Range: 200–300°C (thermal oil)
Cooling Speed: Moderate (slower heat transfer vs. water)
Thermal Stability: Excellent (uniform high-temperature control)
Maintenance: High (oil leakage risks, fire hazards)
Applications: Magnesium alloys (e.g., thin-walled laptop housings)
Key Considerations:
Preheated coolant (50°C recommended to reduce thermal shock)

Conformal Cooling Technical Parameters

Cooling Speed: Very high (30% faster cycle times vs. traditional methods)
Channel Design: 3D-printed, contour-following channels (0.5–2 mm resolution)
Cost: High (additive manufacturing expenses, e.g., DMLS)
Applications: Complex geometries (medical devices, aerospace components)
Limitations: Limited to dies with intricate shapes.

Air Cooling Technical Parameters

Temperature Range: Ambient (forced-air systems with fans/blowers)
Cooling Speed: Low (suitable for low-volume runs)
Cost: Very low (no plumbing required)
Defect Risks: Warping due to uneven cooling
Optimization Parameters:
Hole diameter (4 mm optimal), spacing (5 mm), and depth (uncontrollable factor)

Spray/Mist Cooling Technical Parameters

Cooling Speed: High (effective for thick sections)
Fluid Types: Water-based mist or specialized coolants
Risks: Thermal shock if overused; requires drainage systems
Applications: Aluminum wheels, structural components

Critical Design & Operational Factors

• Channel Geometry
• Thermal Balancing
• Energy Efficiency
• Safety & Longevity

Channel Geometry

Diameter: 8–20 mm (smaller diameters improve cooling uniformity)
Placement: Strategically near “hot spots” (e.g., thick sections)
Distance from surface: 20 mm optimal to balance cooling and stress

Thermal Balancing

Use temperature sensors and infrared imaging for real-time adjustments.
Cooling-heating hybrid systems for dies with large thermal gradients.

Energy Efficiency

Thermoelectric cooling (Peltier modules) consumes high energy but offers precision.
Air-cooling modifications (e.g., nozzle diameter reduction) cut air consumption by 29%.

Safety & Longevity

Avoid coolant temperatures <20°C (risk of die cracking).
Use nitrided surfaces to enhance die durability.

Haichen chiller parameters

• Water cooled cased
• Air cooled cased

Water cooled cased

The industrial chiller is specially designed on purpose to be used inthe plastic manufacturing industry.

This equipment can greatly raisethe working efficiency of manufacturing machines and obviously improve the quality of products and thus,earnmore profit.

Air cooled cased

The industrial chiller is specially designed on purpose to be used inthe plastic manufacturing industry.

This equipment can greatly raisethe working efficiency of manufacturing machines and obviously improve the quality of products and thus,earnmore profit.

Common Cooling Problems in die-casting

• Shrinkage Porosity
• Thermal Stresses
• Effect on the Final Product from the Improper Cooling

Shrinkage Porosity

As the molten metal cools down and solidifies, it shrinks.

This could result in shrinkage porosity if cooling is not uniform or controlled.

This results in small cavities or internal voids that can weaken the structural integrity of the product.

Thereby making low-quality parts that could eventually fail when under stress.

Thermal Stresses

This may lead to uneven cooling, and therefore, thermal stresses in the die and the cast part.

The inhomogeneous contractions at various parts may lead to warping, cracking, and even premature failure of the mold.

To avoid such cooling, therefore, uniform cooling across the mold is maintained.

If the cooling is poor, then it will create excessive heating in the mold.

As a consequence, it causes rapid acceleration in wearing down.

Gradually, it contributes to distortion in the mold, low dimensional accuracy, and more maintenance or replacement.

Proper cooling maintains the performance for many cycles as well as increases the lifespan of a mold.

Effect on the Final Product from the Improper Cooling

The final product will suffer from various defects due to improper cooling management.

Such as warped parts, cracks, poor surface finish, and internal voids.

All these problems usually lead to decreased mechanical properties and appearance of the cast part.

Thus requiring rework or rejection, therefore impacting production time and cost.

Inconsistent cooling can also increase cycle times, again reducing overall efficiency.