Vulcanization device for a tire and vulcanization method

A vulcanizing device for a tire, the device comprising:

• a mold;
• a curing bladder having an internal part that defines a vulcanizing chamber;
• a central part positioned inside the mold, the central part being structured to support the curing bladder so that the curing bladder presses against an internal part of a tire during vulcanization of the tire;
• an inlet pipe through which fluid enters the vulcanizing chamber;
• an outlet pipe through which fluid leaves the vulcanizing chamber;
• and
• an injector,
• wherein the vulcanizing chamber is structured to hold a pressurized heat-transfer fluid such that the pressurized heat-transfer fluid circulates in the vulcanizing chamber and between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe,
• wherein the injector is arranged outside of the vulcanizing chamber, is connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, and comprises a fluid inlet opening through which steam or pressurized gas is supplied to the injector,
• wherein the injector is structured to enable the steam or the pressurized gas supplied via the supply pipe to mix with the pressurized heat-transfer fluid leaving the vulcanizing chamber via the outlet pipe,
• wherein the injector includes a Venturi-effect tube connected to the inlet pipe, the outlet pipe, and the supply pipe, and
• wherein the Venturi-effect tube includes an outlet opening that connects the Venturi-effect tube to a condensate drain and collection pipe.

A method of vulcanizing a tire, the method comprising steps of:

• installing a green tire in a vulcanizing device, the vulcanizing device including:
• (a) a mold, (b) a curing bladder having an internal part that defines a vulcanizing chamber, (c) a central part positioned inside the mold, the central part being structured to support the curing bladder so that the curing bladder presses against an internal part of the tire during vulcanization of the tire, (d) an inlet pipe through which fluid enters the vulcanizing chamber, (e) an outlet pipe through which fluid leaves the vulcanizing chamber, and (f) an injector arranged outside of the vulcanizing chamber, wherein the injector is connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, and wherein the injector comprises a fluid inlet opening through which steam or pressurized gas is supplied to the injector;
• circulating a pressurized heat-transfer fluid in the vulcanizing chamber and between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, wherein the injector receives, via the outlet pipe, the pressurized heat-transfer fluid that has left the vulcanizing chamber;
• mixing, at the injector, (a) the steam or the pressurized gas supplied to the injector via the fluid inlet opening with (b) the pressurized heat-transfer fluid that was received from the vulcanizing chamber via the outlet pipe;
• and
• providing the mix to the vulcanizing chamber via the inlet pipe.