Assessment of The Reclamation of Used Sands From The Alpha-Set Technology in The Testing Apparatus
Assessment of The Reclamation of Used Sands From The Alpha-Set Technology in The Testing Apparatus
Assessment of The Reclamation of Used Sands From The Alpha-Set Technology in The Testing Apparatus
ISSN (1897-3310)
Volume 9
Of Issue 1/2009
33-36
FOUNDRY ENGINEERING
8/1
Published quarterly as the organ of the Foundry Commission of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Abstract
The preliminary investigations of the mechanical-grinding reclamation of used sands from the alpha-set technology, belonging to a sand
group difficult for reclamation, were performed. The new testing apparatus equipped with a rotor system enabling a change of intensity of
grinding and crushing influences by selecting shapes of rotor elements and rotational speeds of a rotor system - was applied in the
mechanical reclamation. This apparatus enables the used sand reclamation in a traditional vertical system of a rotor and apparatus system
or the operation in out of plumb system (from 0 to 60). This apparatus was made in order to create comparative conditions of used sands
reclamations which constitute the basis for comparative assessment of reclaimability of various sands, at not changing reclamation
influences. The effects of releasing matrix grains from coatings of binding agents obtained under these conditions are more reliable and the
determined effectiveness of the matrix reclamation from various used sands are more likelihood.
A R C H I V E S O F F O U N D R Y E N G I N E E R I N G Vo l u m e 9 , I s s u e 1 / 2 0 0 9 , 3 3 - 3 6 33
improvement. New testing apparatus allowing for the
reclamation examination performed with various intensity - was
3. Experimental investigations
applied in the presented hereby investigations. The presented hereby investigations were concentrated on
assessment of reclaimability of sands from the alpha-set
2. Experimental Stand technology. Not overheated sands were applied in tests since it
was assumed that such sands are more difficult for the
Experimental tests were performed in the testing apparatus reclamation than the overheated ones. Sands were prepared in
for an assessment of spent sands reclaimability, in which the laboratory ribbon mixer according to recommendations of
rotating impact-grinding elements were applied. Shape and the resin producer. Phenol resin Sinotherm 8426 was used. Its
structure of the rotor system undergoes intensive evolution in density at 20q C equals 1.245 – 1.255 g/cm3, dynamic viscosity
order to obtain the best reclamation effectiveness without the 70 - 110 mPas and pH>13. As an activator J120 was applied
matrix degradation. Rotational speed of impact-grinding (trade names). The composition of the moulding sand was as
elements can be controlled in the range of 460÷1680 rpm. The follows:
innovatory feature of the new testing apparatus is the possibility
of operation in out of plumb system which is advantageous for - Dry high-silica sand 100 parts by weight,
an internal sand circulation. The apparatus can be out of a - Resin 1.0 part by weight,
vertical position in a range from 0 to 60. The schematic - Activator 0.5 parts by weight.
presentation of the applied apparatus in cases of its operation in Sands were hardened for 24 hours, after preparation, and then
a vertical and in a deviated - by D angle - position is shown in exposed to the primary reclamation process.
Figure 1.
The secondary reclamation process was performed according to
the scheme presented in Figure 2.
3. Instrumental investigations
After each finished stage of the secondary reclamation process,
the obtained reclaimer was exposed to instrumental
examinations, the main being: ignition loss, sieve analysis, grain
shape and surface analysis. Such instrumental examinations are
usually accepted indices of the degree of the used binding agent
Fig. 1. Schematic presentation of the testing apparatus applied
removal from the spent sands matrix [2].
for the reclamation.
scale for their legibility. It can be noticed that, for the rotational
4. The obtained results speed of the impact-grinding system of 460 rpm and 960 rpm
Sieve analysis the diameter dl values linearly decrease versus the reclamation
Sieve analysis of reclaimers, performed before their final time – for three applied inclinations of the testing apparatus. The
dedusting, indicates: reclamation performed with a speed of 1680 rpm has at the
Average grain diameters, represented in this case by diameter dl beginning similar character, while later on the decreasing of
, are decreasing when a process time and a rotational speed of average diameters is less intensive.
the rotor system are increasing. Grain diameters for the cases It can be stated, on the basis of the sieve analysis, that
when the rotational speed was 460 rpm, 960 rpm and 1680 rpm increasing of the inclination angle of the testing apparatus
are presented in Figure 3a. The results are presented in the same causes - for all tested rotational speeds - increasing of the
34 A R C H I V E S O F F O U N D R Y E N G I N E E R I N G Vo l u m e 9 , I s s u e 1 / 2 0 0 9 , 3 3 - 3 6
reclamation treatment intensity. This phenomenon can be other), as in the case of the discussed above changes of averaged
explained by a better sand circulation, easier falling into the diameters dl. It is worth mentioning that the theoretical specific
lower part of the apparatus and by an increased, in this case, surface of reclaim determined on the basis of the performed
surface of grinding action of rotor paddles. sieve analysis is especially important when an estimation of
energy consumption of reclamation processes is performed on
Increase of the theoretical specific surface of the set of the basis of the deterministic models of Rittinger and others
reclaimed grains (Fig. 3b) - character of changes caused by the [3-5]. In this case the theoretical specific surface is the
process intensity change together with an increase of the determinant of the advancement degree of the removal of spent
reclamation time is similar (naturally when making allowances binding agents from matrix grains.
for the fact that those phenomena are in opposition to each
Fig. 3. Change of the average characteristic diameters dl and the reclaim specific surface as a function of the duration time of the process.
reclaimers were done. The obtained results for the case when the 1.4
Figure 4. Since at this angle the reclamation effect is the highest, 1.36
the grain damage probability should be also the highest. The
obtained results indicate that in the case of two lower speeds a
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crushing process does not occur, however filleting and grinding 1.32
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
of reclaimer grains takes place. When the process is carried on Reclamation time, min
at a speed of 1680 rpm its course is diversified; the first 10 Fig. 4. Change of the grain shape index of the obtained
minutes of the reclamation cause lowering of the Wk index reclaimers as a function of the reclamation time and the rotor
testifying that grains are becoming more spherical and that used rotational speed. Apparatus inclined at an angle of 60.
binding agents are grinded off from their surfaces. After 20
minutes of the reclamation the grain shape index slightly Decreasing values of ignition losses with increasing rotational
increases due to crushing of matrix grains. speeds of the rotor system are noticeable, however reclamation
Loss of Ignition influences achieved in the testing apparatus are not very
Ignition loss, is the essential value for determining the degree of intensive. This can be seen in Figure 6, which illustrates ignition
a grain liberation from organic components of binding agents. losses versus rotational speeds. The maximum ignition loss
The results of ignition losses obtained after the determined time decrease obtained at the rotational speed of 1680 rpm, after 20
of the process and at the determined rotational speeds of the minutes of the reclamation and inclination of an angle of 60,
rotor system, decisive for the reclamation process intensity, are ensuring the best conditions for an operation of the impact-
presented in Fig. 5a÷5c. grinding system, equals 22.8%.
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a)
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5. Conclusions
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The following conclusions can be drawn on the bases of the
performed examinations:
Loss of ignition, %
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- The newly introduced testing apparatus allows to perform a
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reclamation treatment of various grades of used sands under
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the comparable conditions. This enables to exhibit a
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significant diversification of their reclaimability being
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estimated by means of different methods based on basic
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Apparatus vertical position 1
Apparatus vertical position 2 criteria of assessing the matrix quality.
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0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Apparatus vertical position 3
14 16 18 20
- Examinations confirmed the opinion, existing in foundry
Reclamation time, min practice, that spent sands from the alpha-set technology are
b) difficult for a reclamation. The obtained results of ignition
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losses of these sands indicated that, at the highest
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reclamation intensity obtainable in the testing apparatus,
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only 20% of used binding agents was removed from matrix
grains, which is significantly below the level obtained for
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other sands with resins.
Loss of ignition, %
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- Reclamation of used sands from the alpha-set technology by
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mechanical means does not forecast a proper grain cleaning
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from resin leftovers and the resulting final high value of
1.30 ignition losses is decisive for the reclaimer application for
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Apparatus vertical position 1
Apparatus vertical position 2
matrix backing sands, especially of large moulds. The
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Apparatus vertical position 3
situation significantly changes in the case when sands are
exposed for thermal reclamation (e.g. in the Hot Pot system,
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Reclamation time, min
1.50
1.45
1.40 Acknowledgements
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Scientific paper financed by the scientific grant in years
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2008÷2011 as a Research Project No N N507 369735
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References
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Reclamation time, min
20
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