Nanofluid mold cooling

A mold arrangement comprising:

• a mold tool having one or more movable pieces forming a mold cavity defined by said one or more pieces, said mold cavity defining a surface for creating a molded part;
• at least one injection port for injecting molten resin into said mold cavity and forming said molded part;
• and
• cooling fins connected to the one or more moveable pieces increasing the exposed surface area of the mold tool and facilitate the removal of heat.

A mold arrangement consisting essentially of:

• a mold tool having one or more movable pieces forming a mold cavity defined by said one or more pieces, said mold cavity defining a surface for creating a molded part;
• at least one injection port for injecting molten resin into said mold cavity and forming said molded part;
• a nanofluid having a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles that are one or more of the group consisting essentially of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, copper oxide, aluminium, copper, magnesium, silver, gold, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, carbon black particles and carbon black agglomerates;
• at least one cooling passage for flowing nanofluid through said mold tool to cool said molded part;
• and
• cooling fins connected to the one or more moveable pieces increasing the exposed surface area of the mold tool and facilitate the removal of heat.

A method of cooling a part formed within a mold arrangement comprising the steps of:

• providing a mold tool having one or more movable pieces forming a mold cavity defined by said one or more moveable pieces, said mold cavity defining a surface for creating a molded part, said one or more movable pieces has at least one cooling passage;
• providing cooling fins connected to the one or moveable pieces, thereby increasing the exposed surface area of the mold tool;
• providing at least one injection port for injecting molten resin into said mold cavity and forming said molded part;
• providing a nanofluid having a colloidal suspension of thermally conductive nanoparticles suspended in an aqueous solution or organic solution, wherein said nanofluid is used to cool said molded part;
• injecting molten resin into said mold cavity;
• forming said molded part, wherein said mold tool and said molded part contain thermal energy;
• flowing nanofluid through said at least one cooling passage to absorb said thermal energy from said molded part and said mold tool;
• transferring said thermal energy from said nanofluid and said one or more moveable pieces to said cooling fins;
• radiating heat from said cooling fins away from the mold tool.