Ecodry System 4.0
Packaging Process-Synchronized Cooling & Temperature Control Systems
Designed for increasing productivity in injection and blow molding of plastic packaging, thanks to the significant reduction in cooling time. It guarantees perfect stability, as well as considerable savings in operating costs and a reduction in environmental impact.
)and discover all the advantages of our solutions:
Ecodry 4DK
Adiabatic Cooling System
- Up to 15% less energy consumption
- Water saving up to 95%
- Safe operation without glycol down to an ambient temperature of -30 °C (-22 ˚F)
- Remote monitoring
- Improved COP up to 30%
Dynamico DP for Packaging & PET
Dynamico DP, for any Packaging Application down to 10 °C. These units guarantees a significant reduction of the cycle time by increasing the heat transfer efficiency between recirculating water flow and mold cavities, thus drastically reducing the cooling time, keeping consistent the molded part quality.
- Proven Productivity Increase: at least 10% in most existing molds running with all kinds of resins (PP, HDPE, PS, PET, etc.) and up to 25% in some cases
- Shorter Cooling Time, without sweating: Dynamico can supply very low water temperatures avoiding mold sweating during production stop
- Replacement of Central Cooling: no modifications to the current mold is required. Dynamico Technology does not require skilled operators.
Dynamico DY for Technical Molding and Packaging Applications
Revolutionary product designed for dynamic temperature control with on-board chiller. Dynamico allows to search and store the best mold temperature control parameters that highly reduce the Mold Cooling Time, optimizing part quality.
- It guarantees a significant reduction in cycle time
- Mold temperature control synchronized with the process
- Increased production by up to 50% due to drastic reduction in cooling time
- Intelligent use of energy consumption
- Cost-effective investment and high ROI
- Does not require mold modifications
Dynamico DY for Technical Molding and Packaging Applications
Revolutionary product designed for dynamic temperature control with on-board chiller. Dynamico allows to search and store the best mold temperature control parameters that highly reduce the Mold Cooling Time, optimizing part quality.
- It guarantees a significant reduction in cycle time
- Mold temperature control synchronized with the process
- Increased production by up to 50% due to drastic reduction in cooling time
- Intelligent use of energy consumption
- Cost-effective investment and high ROI
- Does not require mold modifications
Cap Cooler
Caps post-cooling unit
- Uniform cooling for each type of closure and adaptable to any production requirements
- Guarantees a consistent production rate and constant quality of the product
- Minimizes ovalization and deformation
Dynamico DY for Technical Molding and Packaging Applications
Revolutionary product designed for dynamic temperature control with on-board chiller. Dynamico allows to search and store the best mold temperature control parameters that highly reduce the Mold Cooling Time, optimizing part quality.
- It guarantees a significant reduction in cycle time
- Mold temperature control synchronized with the process
- Increased production by up to 50% due to drastic reduction in cooling time
- Intelligent use of energy consumption
- Cost-effective investment and high ROI
- Does not require mold modifications
Mold Dryer
Industrial air dehumidifier
- Production released from climatic conditions with constant quality
- Reduced maintenance and long life for the molds
- High energy savings compared to traditional systems
Remote control platform
- Unique central inferface for control of the cooling system
- Easy visualization of the connected equipment
- Alarm management and history
- Multiple access levels
Machine Interactive Database
Supervision system for plant control and optimization
- Remote control of machines from everywhere
- Live data recording (all the operating parameters)
- Data stored locally, physically installed on-site
- Safe and encrypted Data transfer
Dynamico DY for Technical Molding and Packaging Applications
Revolutionary product designed for dynamic temperature control with on-board chiller. Dynamico allows to search and store the best mold temperature control parameters that highly reduce the Mold Cooling Time, optimizing part quality.
- It guarantees a significant reduction in cycle time
- Mold temperature control synchronized with the process
- Increased production by up to 50% due to drastic reduction in cooling time
- Intelligent use of energy consumption
- Cost-effective investment and high ROI
- Does not require mold modifications
Download the brochure of the cooling system Packaging
DownloadProcess Cooling Solutions for Packaging
Process-Synchronized Cooling in Plastic Packaging: Beyond Traditional Thermoregulation
In the high-speed, high-volume rigid packaging sector, mold thermal management is not just a standard utility—it is the single critical factor dictating hourly factory output (OEE), part dimensional stability, and plant profitability. From thin-walled food tubs to large crates, from high-cavitation beverage closures to blown bottles, rapid and uniform heat extraction from the molten polymer is essential to slash cycle times without compromising part geometry or aesthetics.
Frigel's approach overcomes the structural limits of static temperature solutions by introducing Process-Synchronized Cooling. By combining high-efficiency central adiabatic coolers with smart localized thermoregulation (Dynamico and Microgel), post-ejection cooling tools (Cap Cooler), and mold dehumidifiers (Mold Dryer), Frigel transforms fluid management into a dynamic drive synchronized directly with the molding machine.
Central Cooling: Ecodry and the Modular Hybreco Alternative
Optimizing a packaging facility begins at the central utility level. Many factories still operate open evaporative cooling towers that waste millions of liters of water through evaporation, require heavy chemical biocide treatments, and represent an ongoing biological threat (Legionella Pneumophila).
Frigel resolves this vulnerability by offering two closed-loop adiabatic technologies, each designed to meet specific investment priorities and plant layout requirements:
- Ecodry (Heavy-duty central strengths): Closed-loop adiabatic cooler with V/W copper or stainless steel coils for large multi-MW plants. Ensures total fluid isolation and 100% Glycol-Free operation down to -40 °C via gravity Drain-In-Back self-draining technology. Eliminates Legionella risk, removes chemical water treatment overhead, and cuts water consumption by 95%.
- Hybreco HSM (Modular Plug & Play strengths): Compact self-contained adiabatic system built with 100% aluminum micro-channel coils that significantly lower initial CAPEX (€/kW). Features an onboard VFD process pump, parametric controls, and Y-strainer, needing only two main water connections (IN/OUT) with no external pump stations or expensive site piping.
- Direct vs. Indirect Glycol Configurations: Hybreco is available in Direct (pressurized) or Indirect modes (with an integrated BPHE brazed plate heat exchanger and recirculation pump). The indirect configuration isolates the water-glycol loop inside the outdoor unit, providing freeze protection without adding glycol to the main plant process loop.
Four Cooling Architectures for Specialized Packaging Applications
Each packaging line requires customized fluid dynamics to ensure part dimensional repeatability and eliminate residual polymer stresses:
- Large Containers (Crates, Pallets, Buckets, and Drums)
Polymers: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP) Copolymer.
Cycles: Average cycle times of 25 to 60 seconds with thick wall sections. Excessively cold water (below 15 °C) causes steep thermal gradients between the outer skin and inner core, triggering internal voids and structural warping.
Frigel Solution: Onboard Dynamico DP unit operating with water at 15-22 °C (100% glycol-free). High-pressure HP booster pumps (up to 5.5 bar and 50 m³/h) overcome geometry resistance in long mold channels, maintaining turbulent flow (high Reynolds number) and cutting cycle times by 20-30%. - Thin-Walled Packaging (Food Tubs, Cups, Dairy Containers)
Polymers: High-flow PP homopolymer, General Purpose/High Impact Polystyrene (GPPS/HIPS), PET.
Cycles: Ultra-fast cycle times of 1.8 to 4.5 seconds on high-cavitation molds (up to 64 cavities). Requires maximum heat removal at the gate area.
Frigel Solution: Dynamico DY (with built-in chiller) or Microgel RCP. At 10 °C set point, the system operates glycol-free. For deep cooling down to 8 °C, the unit safely handles up to 30% glycol mixtures. AI-assisted algorithms optimize gate solidification, boosting output by 20-40%. - Closures (Caps and Closures for Beverage and Dispenser Lines)
Polymers: HDPE, PP (flip-top closures and pump dispensers).
Cycles: High-cavitation mass production with cycles of 2.5 to 5.0 seconds. Hot ejected caps suffer post-molding ovalization in storage bins.
Frigel Solution: Mold cooling at 10-14 °C via Dynamico DY / Microgel RCP paired with the Cap Cooler (CAP) forced-air post-cooling unit. Cap Cooler treats up to 70,000 caps/hour continuously in a compact footprint (0.95 m²), freezing thread geometry and eliminating ovalization. - Blown Containers (Bottles, Jars, and Jugs - EBM / IBM)
Polymers: HDPE, PP, PET, PVC.
Cycles: Continuous or fast-cycle EBM/IBM for personal care and pharma bottles. Requires cold water (7-12 °C) to solidify the blown parison rapidly.
Frigel Solution: Dynamico DP or Microgel RCP unit coupled with the Mold Dryer (MDE) mold enclosure dehumidifier. Mold Dryer supplies dry air at ultra-low dew points around the mold area, enabling 7 °C cooling water operation without summer condensation (sweating) and eliminating water mark defects.
Industry 4.0: Digital Control with Netgel 3PR 4.0 and MiND
High-throughput packaging factories require comprehensive digital supervision. Frigel's Netgel (3PR 4.0) centralized control system interconnects all Ecodry components, automatically adjusting EC fan speeds and adiabatic spraying based on real-time thermal load and weather conditions. Plant-wide, the MiND platform provides full OPC-UA / Euromap 82.1 connectivity, tracking energy usage, flow rates, and temperatures in real time for every packaging line.
Real-World Case Study: Company based in northeastern Italy
Energy Efficiency, Productivity, and Logistics Optimization in Rigid Packaging and Technical Molding
Frigel engineered a customized, highly flexible Ecodry System architecture consisting of:
ECODRY Series central closed-loop, self-draining adiabatic coolers (completely glycol-free), installed outdoors to expel heat to the ambient air.
MICROGEL RCD Series (now Dynamico DY) compact water-condensed, dual-zone chillers/TCUs mounted at each individual press to manage independent cavity temperature zones.
TURBOGEL RBD Series high-flow (now Dynamico DP) , dual-zone pressurized temperature control units to ensure absolute temperature stability in demanding molds.
The on-site implementation of Ecodry and localized Microgel/Turbogel units deliv- ered remarkable verified results:
- 30% Electricity Savings: Replacing the traditional centralized chiller-only infrastructure with Frigel's adiabatic closed-loop system slashed overall plant electricity consumption by approximately 30%.
- Drastic Cycle Time Reductions: Realized by customizing independent, zone-specific temperature settings directly at the mold, tailored to the specific polymer and part geometry.
- Superior Part Quality and Repeatability: Achieved high thermal consistency and cooling stability, eliminating post-molding dimensional variations and shrinkage.
- Water and Maintenance Conservation: Lowered makeup water usage and maintenance overheads through a closed, pressurized circuit."
Performance and Sustainability
Increased productivity
1. Significant reduction in cooling times
Thanks to their ability to synchronize with the production line, the units can activate strong cooling, providing low temperatures and high flow rates to the mold, only during certain phases of the cycle.
2. Total control flexibility
Thanks to the wide range of units, even with built-in chiller (Microgel), there is no limit to the settings of the cooling or thermo-regulation temperature from 0 to 200 °C (30 to 400 ˚F) and of the flow rate in each circuit of the mold, for each type of application.
3. Perfect repeatability
Synchronization with the process ensures precise control of the mold temperature at every stage of molding, without interference, while the process machines operate constantly at maximum performance.
Reduced operating costs
1. Energy savings up to 30%
• Synchronized cooling - The units are activated automatically only when needed, achieving significant energy savings.
• Intelligent use of chilled water -
The integrated chillers will operate only where and when it is needed.
• Free-Cooling opportunities - The units with integrated chiller have the function of automatic Free-Cooling. Whenever the temperature required by the process is higher than the temperature supplied by the central system, the compressors stop.
2. Water savings up to 95%
The central adiabatic cooling system operates in a dry mode without water consumption almost all year, exploiting the ambient air to transfer the heat coming from the processes. Only during periods of extreme ambient temperatures above 30 °C (86 ˚F), the system uses a minimal amount of water in evaporative mode.
3. Up to 90% maintenance savings
The central adiabatic system is a closed circuit that allows excellent heat transfer with minimal maintenance.
Total modularity
1. Easily expandable at any time
The Ecodry System allows the installation of the exact capacity required at each stage of plant development.
2. Gradual implementation
Even in existing plants, installing additional units is very simple thanks to the functional and effective modularity design.
3. Exact quantification of costs by line and product
Each unit can measure and record the specific energy consumption for each product.
4. Total reliability
The extreme simplicity, reliability and redundancy of the components of the adiabatic cooling unit minimizes the possibility of plant shutdown due to failures of the cooling system, ensuring the continuity of production 24 hours a day.
Reduced carbon footprint
1. Intelligent electricity consumption
With minimal waste.
2. Maximum savings
Obtained thanks to automatic and independent Free-Cooling by process.
3. Possibility of reducing the consumption of natural gas
Thanks to the heat recovery of processes through heat pumps.
Minimized water footprint
Unlike traditional systems, such as the evaporative tower, this new heat dissipation technology consumes water only during periods of extreme environmental temperatures, reducing water consumption to a minimum.
Reduced risks of emissions
1. Low GWP refrigerant
The system uses a refrigerant gas with the lowest GWP available to date.
2. Risk of losses and emissions reduced to a minimum
In each unit the refrigerant gas is divided into small separate circuits, minimizing the risk of emissions in the event of leaks.
3. Without disposal of chemical additives
It does not require the disposal of chemical additives used for water treatment.
Other solutions for Packaging
Discover our alternatives
High performance for every process need.
Our installations
