Formula for calculating emitted BTU heat loads from mold machines

[mrjsr1951@gmail.com]

I'm dealing with newly installed molding machines (blow molding) and need to figure the emitted heat load from each machine so as to determine how much cooling to be figured in total BTU required in the area. Wondering if there is a formula anyone's aware of for calculating. Would it be arrived at with thermal readings, a basic formula... ?

 

[GeorgeB]

I work with this industry, and none of my active customers has an air conditioned plant. From what little I can guess, a recording watt-hour meter for a an hour on the electric motors converted to BTU is probably the best you can do. Most of the heaters do little once in operation with melt heat coming from mechanical screw work.

It is hard to base anything on motor HP as machine designs vary, some fully (or near fully) loading a smaller motor continuously, others with short periods of load on larger motors.

I doubt a closed system would do well meeting air quality standards.

I'm talking about what are referred to as "industrial blow molding" machines with shot size in the 10-100 lb range.

 

[petersonra]

I think George is probably right. Best thing you can do is put a meter on the machine and see how much electricity it uses on average. Most of that electricity is going to be converted to heat, either directly or indirectly.

I can't say I've ever seen a blow mold machine in an air conditioned area. But my sample size is fairly small. The ones I've seen didn't seem to generate all that much heat. 5 ft away from the machine it was pretty comfortable.

I would be looking at some ventilation because they do stink sometimes and there is some heat generated that you need to get rid of.