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Disclosed is a preferred mold design for producing plastic, molded preforms, which may be blow-molded into a container of a final, desired shape. A preferred mold includes a temperature control system for maintaining the preform mold at a desired temperature. The temperature control system can pass

Disclosed is a preferred mold design for producing plastic, molded preforms, which may be blow-molded into a container of a final, desired shape. A preferred mold includes a temperature control system for maintaining the preform mold at a desired temperature. The temperature control system can pass fluid through channels within the preform mold to cool plastic that is injected into the preform mold. In some arrangements, a mold comprises a neck finish mold, the neck finish mold comprising high heat transfer material positioned to transfer heat away from melt within a mold cavity of the mold.

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What is claimed is: 1. A mold comprising: a core section having a core surface; a cavity section having a cavity surface, a mold cavity being defined by the core section and the cavity section when the mold is in a closed position; a fluid channel being disposed within one of the core section and t

What is claimed is: 1. A mold comprising: a core section having a core surface; a cavity section having a cavity surface, a mold cavity being defined by the core section and the cavity section when the mold is in a closed position; a fluid channel being disposed within one of the core section and the cavity section; and a pressure reducing device configured to receive and vaporize at least a portion of a refrigerant, the pressure reducing device in fluid communication with the fluid channel; wherein said one of the core section and the cavity section comprising high heat transfer material, the high heat transfer material being positioned between the fluid channel and the mold cavity. 2. The mold of claim 1, wherein the high heat transfer material has a thermal conductivity at least two times greater than a thermal conductivity of iron. 3. The mold of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fluid channels disposed within the cavity section and the high heat transfer material forms at least a substantial portion of the cavity section which is interposed between the plurality of fluid channels and the mold cavity. 4. The mold of claim 1, wherein the cavity surface is defined by the high heat transfer material. 5. The mold of claim 1, wherein the pressure reducing device is an expansion valve with a fixed diameter orifice. 6. The mold of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant comprises substantially nitrogen or carbon dioxide. 7. The mold of claim 1, wherein the mold cavity is defined by the cavity surface and the core surface, the cavity surface and the core surface each comprises high heat transfer material. 8. The mold of claim 1, further comprising a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, and a fluid line, the fluid line is configured to receive heated fluid that has passed through at least one of the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel and delivers the heated fluid to the first fluid channel, the second fluid channel is configured to receive fluid, which has passed through the pressure reducing device and is cooler than the heated fluid. 9. The mold of claim 1, further comprising a temperature control system configured to deliver fluid comprising mostly refrigerant in a liquid state to the core section or the cavity section and to receive fluid comprising mostly refrigerant in a gas state that has passed through a portion of the core section or the cavity section. 10. The mold of claim 9, wherein the temperature control system is an open loop system that vents the refrigerant to the atmosphere. 11. The mold of claim 9, wherein the temperature control system is a closed loop system. 12. The molding of claim 1, wherein the high heat transfer material has a thermal conductivity greater than iron. 13. The mold of claim 1, wherein the cavity section further comprises a plurality of pressure reduction devices proximate to the cavity surface. 14. The mold of claim 1, wherein the mold is one of a compression mold or an injection mold. 15. A molding system, comprising: a first mold section and a second mold section movable between an open position and a closed position, a mold cavity being defined between the first mold section and the second mold section when the first mold section and the second mold section occupy the closed position, at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section comprising high heat transfer material and at least one fluid channel; a fluid source in fluid communication with the at least one fluid channel, the fluid source containing refrigerant; and a pressure reducing element in fluid communication with the at least one fluid channel and the fluid source, the pressure reducing element configured to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant from the fluid source to a second pressure equal to or less than a vaporization pressure of the refrigerant. 16. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the high heat transfer material has a thermal conductivity at least two times greater than the thermal conductivity of iron. 17. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the refrigerant comprises a cryogenic fluid. 18. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the first mold section and the second mold section form one of a blow mold, injection mold, and a compression mold. 19. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the pressure reducing element vaporizes an effective amount of the refrigerant to reduce the temperature of the refrigerant such that the refrigerant can sufficiently cool an article within the mold cavity to form a dimensionally stable outer surface of the article suitable for demolding. 20. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the pressure reducing element is positioned in the at least one fluid channel. 21. The molding system of claim 15, further comprising: a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the at least one fluid channel; a compressor configured to receive fluid from the at least one fluid channel and to output a pressurized fluid, the compressor is positioned along a fluid path between the at least one fluid channel and the heat exchanger; and a bypass system comprising a flow regulating valve, the bypass system being configured to convey pressurized fluid from the compressor to the flow regulating valve and to the pressure regulating element such that the pressurized fluid flows through the pressure reducing element and then into the at least one fluid channel. 22. The molding system of claim 15, further comprising a second fluid source containing a second fluid, the second fluid having a freezing point temperature that is greater than the temperature of the refrigerant from the first fluid source in the at least one fluid channel. 23. The molding system of claim 21, further comprising: a temperature sensor interposed between a molding surface of the at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section and the at least one fluid channel; and a controller iii communication with the temperature sensor, the controller is configured to selectively control the operation of the pressure reducing element and the flow regulating valve in response to a signal from the temperature sensor. 24. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the refrigerant comprises liquid selected from one of liquid carbon dioxide, liquid nitrogen, and combinations thereof. 25. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the pressure reducing element comprises a valve with a fixed orifice. 26. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the pressure reducing element comprises a valve with a variable opening. 27. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the pressure reducing element comprises a nozzle valve or a needle valve. 28. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the high heat transfer material comprises a hardened copper alloy having a thermal conductivity at least twice a thermal conductivity of iron. 29. The molding system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of fluid channels for cooling melt disposed within the mold cavity and a plurality of fluid sources, each of the fluid channels is in fluid communication with at least one of the fluid sources, wherein the number of fluid sources is less than the number of fluid channels. 30. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section comprises a plate, the plate comprising the at least one fluid channel, and a fluid line in fluid communication with the fluid source and the at least one fluid channel. 31. The molding system of claim 30, wherein the at least one fluid line is thermally insulated. 32. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the first mold section comprises a core terminating at a core tip, the mold cavity is in the shape of a preform, and the pressure reducing element is positioned within the core and near the core tip. 33. The molding system of claim 32, wherein a substantial portion of the core comprises high heat transfer material. 34. The molding system of claim 32, wherein the core comprises an upper core portion configured to mold a neck portion of a preform, the upper core portion comprises a first material, and the core tip comprises a second material having a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the first material. 35. The molding system of claim 15, further comprising a neck finish mold positioned between the first mold section and the second mold section, the neck finish mold comprising high heat transfer material. 36. The molding system of claim 15, wherein the molding system is one of an injection molding system, a compression molding system, and a stretch blow molding system. 37. A mold for molding an article, the mold comprising: a cavity section; and a core section being configured to mate with the cavity section to form a mold cavity, the core section comprising a core defining an internal surface of the mold cavity, a tube within the core extending from a proximal end of the core to a pressure reducing valve at a distal end of the core, the pressure reducing valve configured to receive fluid from the tube and to deliver at least partially vaporized fluid to a channel within the core, wherein the partially vaporized fluid in the core is at a temperature less than a temperature of the internal surface of the mold cavity when melt fills the mold cavity. 38. The mold of claim 37, further comprising a neck finish mold being configured to mold a neck portion of a preform, the neck finish mold being positioned between the cavity section and the core section and comprising high conductivity material. 39. The mold of claim 37, wherein the channel extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the core and is between the tube and an outer wall of the core. 40. The mold of claim 37, wherein a portion of the core is configured to form a portion of the mold cavity and has a length to diameter ratio greater than about 4. 41. The mold of claim 37, wherein a portion of the core is configured to form a portion of the mold cavity and has a length to diameter ratio greater than about 6. 42. A mold assembly comprising: a core section; a cavity section defining a cavity surface configured to mold at least a portion of an article, the cavity section cooperates with the core section to form a space; a plurality of fluid channels surrounds a portion of the cavity surface, the plurality of fluid channels is positioned within a portion of the cavity section having a high thermal conductivity; and a valve system being located upstream of the fluid channels, the valve system receives cryogenic fluid at a first temperature and delivers the cryogenic fluid at a second temperature, which is less than the first temperature, to the plurality of fluid channels. 43. The mold assembly of claim 42, wherein the cavity section comprises a first portion and a removable second portion, the valve system comprises an insertable pressure reducing element that is exposed when the second portion is removed from the cavity section. 44. The mold assembly of claim 42, wherein the valve system comprises a plurality of expansion valves, and each expansion valve is in fluid communication with at least one fluid channel. 45. The mold assembly of claim 42, wherein the plurality of fluid channels comprises fluid channels that are in fluid communication with each other. 46. The mold assembly of claim 45, further comprising a plurality of fluid passages, each fluid passage extends between a pair of the fluid channels. 47. The mold assembly of claim 42, further comprising a portion of the cavity section positioned between the plurality of fluid channels and the cavity surface, wherein the portion of the cavity section is formed of high heat transfer material. 48. A molding system, comprising: a first mold section and a second mold section movable between an open position and a closed position, a mold cavity being defined between the first mold section and the second mold section when the first mold section and the second mold section occupy the closed position, the mold cavity having a shape of a preform; and a neck finish mold interposed between the first mold section and the second mold section, the neck finish mold having a neck molding surface configured to mold a portion of melt disposed in the mold cavity, the neck finish mold comprising high heat transfer material and a temperature control element configured to selectively control the temperature of the neck molding surface, wherein the high heat transfer material is positioned between the neck molding surface and the temperature control element. 49. The molding system of claim 48, wherein a substantial portion of the neck finish mold extending between the temperature control element and the neck molding surface comprises high heat transfer material. 50. The molding system of claim 49, wherein the high heat transfer material forms the neck molding surface, the neck molding surface is dimensioned so as to form threads of a preform. 51. The molding system of claim 49, wherein a portion of the neck finish mold extends between the temperature control element and the neck molding surface, wherein high heat transfer material forms at least 80% by weight of the portion of the neck finish mold. 52. The molding system of claim 51, wherein high heat transfer material forms at least 90% by weight of the portion of the neck finish mold. 53. The molding system of claim 48, wherein the temperature control element comprises a plurality of cooling channels disposed within the high heat transfer material. 54. The molding system of claim 48, wherein the neck finish mold is a split ring that is movable between a first position for molding a portion of a preform and a second position for demolding the preform.