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    Microsoft PowerPoint - Ester Cured Sodium Silicate

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    Ytyus Black
    This document summarizes a process for reclaiming sand used in foundry molds bonded with sodium silicate. It discusses how sodium silicate works as a binder and issues with its use including low strength, preservation and reclamation difficulties. The key to reclamation is removing the elastic silicate film from sand grains using a thermo-mechanical process - heating sand to 150°C to stiffen the film followed by mechanical attrition to remove it. A case study of an Italian foundry using this process achieved 100% reclamation of sand with only 5% new sand addition.

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    Microsoft PowerPoint - Ester Cured Sodium Silicate

    Uploaded by

    Ytyus Black
    215 views29 pages
    This document summarizes a process for reclaiming sand used in foundry molds bonded with sodium silicate. It discusses how sodium silicate works as a binder and issues with its use including low strength, preservation and reclamation difficulties. The key to reclamation is removing the elastic silicate film from sand grains using a thermo-mechanical process - heating sand to 150°C to stiffen the film followed by mechanical attrition to remove it. A case study of an Italian foundry using this process achieved 100% reclamation of sand with only 5% new sand addition.

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    Sand reclamation

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    Microsoft PowerPoint - Ester Cured Sodium Silicate[1].Pptx

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    This document summarizes a process for reclaiming sand used in foundry molds bonded with sodium silicate. It discusses how sodium silicate works as a binder and issues with its use including low strength, preservation and reclamation difficulties. The key to reclamation is removing the elastic silicate film from sand grains using a thermo-mechanical process - heating sand to 150°C to stiffen the film followed by mechanical attrition to remove it. A case study of an Italian foundry using this process achieved 100% reclamation of sand with only 5% new sand addition.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    215 views29 pages

    Microsoft PowerPoint - Ester Cured Sodium Silicate

    Uploaded by

    Ytyus Black
    This document summarizes a process for reclaiming sand used in foundry molds bonded with sodium silicate. It discusses how sodium silicate works as a binder and issues with its use including low strength, preservation and reclamation difficulties. The key to reclamation is removing the elastic silicate film from sand grains using a thermo-mechanical process - heating sand to 150°C to stiffen the film followed by mechanical attrition to remove it. A case study of an Italian foundry using this process achieved 100% reclamation of sand with only 5% new sand addition.

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    Ester cured sodium silicate

    A valid process for sand


    reclamation

    59 th Indian Foundry Congress Author Ing. Cozzi Carlo


    Feb 11-
    11-13, 2011 Sales Manager – Sogemi Engineering
    Chandigarh - India Milan - Italy
    Sodium silicate binder
     It’s a binder based on a module with SiO2-Na2O ratio
    varying from 2 to 2.6
     The most popular application method consists of
    hardening moulds and cores by injection of CO2 gas
     Another possibility is the addition of a liquid hardener,
    generally organic esters, in a normal continuous mixer
     In the presence of aqueous silicate, CO2 gas, or acid,
    released by hydrolysis of ester causes precipitation of
    a silica gel that, due to a further loss of water,
    solidifies the sand to make the required shape.
    Advantages of sodium silicate

    Low incidence of gas defects

    Very low incidence of cracks in castings

    No sulphur, phosphorus and nitrogen

    Safety for operators and environment


    Negative factors which effected
    sodium silicate use
     Low strength and break-down capacity
     Short preservation
     Low flow ability of the sand mix
     High shake-out time-bench life ratio (in case
    of silicate/liquid hardener)
     Difficult sand reclamation
    Stregth depends on

    growing application percentages

    growing silicate module

    type of silicate
    Break-
    Break-down capacity depends on

    percentage of the applied binder

    silicate module

    type of silicate
    Break-
    Break -down relations
    binder
    additions

    break-down

    break-down

    soda contents
    (higher module)
    Remedies
    • saccharine
    • dextrose
    Addition of • wood flour
    • graphite

    better break-down capacity


    loss of strength and core use of special
    preservation organic material
    Sand mix flow ability
    Depends on:
     percentage of the applied silicate
     silicate viscosity

    Development of products with low viscosity modified by


    special additives and which allowed to reduce considerably
    the percentage ofapplication.
    Bench life and shake-out time
     A short bench life means high module and, in case
    of silicate/hardener, a higher setting velocity.
     the higher the sand/ambient temperature, the
    shorter the bench life and, in case of
    silicate/liquid hardener, the higher the setting
    velocity.

    Development of hardener which influences setting velocity


    Sand reclamation

     wet sand reclamation with high yields requires


    very large volumes of sand to justify the high
    investment involved
     plant dimensions have to be very large and in
    addition washing water must be treated

    Dry sand reclamation seems to be the only


    economically acceptable solution
    Sand reclamation
    reclamation:: problems
    The following problems have been found during the
    development of this process

     due to its increased accumulation, residual binders in


    the sand interfere with the hardening reaction
    reducing the bench life of the sand mixtures to a
    point where regular production of moulds and cores is
    compromised
     accumulation of residual material also increases the
    content of soda in the sand, continuously reducing
    sand refractoriness.
    Sand reclamation
    reclamation:: target

    REMOVING THE ELASTIC


    FILM OF SILICATE FROM
    SAND GRAINS
    Sand reclamation
    reclamation:: solutions
    From chemical poinf of view:
     use of propylene carbonate (ester) which, when in
    contact with silicate, hydrolyse, causing the
    precipitation of silica without leaving any residue to
    effect the plasticity of the silica film

    From installation poinf of view:


     Use of a thermo-mechanical reclamation because
    heating the silicate film which covers the sand
    grain greatly helps the removing of the elastic film
    of silicate
    Sand reclamation
    reclamation:: topics

     sand heating in a fluid bed dryer with a


    temperature of 150 °C where sand looses the
    main part of its incorporated water, therefore
    the silicate film which covers the sand grains
    becomes stiff and fragile.
     mechanical attrition to remove the silicate film
     sand cooling, classification and dedusting in a
    fluid bed machine
     pneumatic conveying of sand to storage silos
    Sand fluid-bed
    heater
    Sand fluid-bed
    Crusher cooler/classifier
    shake-out

    Attrition mill for


    mechanical treatment
    Reclaimed sand
    sand:: typical results

     L.O.I. at 550°
    550° C. 0,6% max
     Alkalinity 0,3% max (NA20 content)
    content)
     Fines < 100 mesh 3.0% max

    Bench life and shake out time at 20ºC are


    doubled if compared to new sand

    Yield of reclamation is 90-95% with only


    5-10% addition of new sand, mainly with
    cores
    To keep these results constant …
    … it is necessary to check the following
    parameters:

     % of binder and hardener in use (3-3.5 % of


    sand for binder, 10% of binder for hardener)

     chemical and physical features of the sand

     working conditions of the reclamation plant,


    with special attention to sand temperature
    inside the drier, wear of the friction mill and
    dust collection of the sand.
    Case study:
    study: Farem foundry
    Remanzacco (Italy)
     Steelmaking foundry producing valves, castings for
    mechanic industry
     Weight from 10 to 5000 kg

     4000 ton/year production

     Ester cured sodium silicate as binder

     Use of silica sand and chromite sand

     Thermo-mechanic reclamation plant

     Chromite separation from silica sand


    Typical castings produced by
    Farem
    Reclaimed silica sand analysis
     L.O.I. 0,33%

     NA20 content 0,08%

     Fines < 100 mesh 4.3%

     Compression resistance 7 kg/cm2 (1 hr)


    hr)

    33 kg/cm2 (4 hrs
    hrs))

    43 kg/cm2 (24 hrs


    hrs))

     Bench life 13 min


    Sand bench life graph
    Safety value
    Resistance kg/cm2

    Hardening time (hrs) Bench life (min)


    Reclaimed chromite sand analysis
     L.O.I. 0,33%

     NA20 content 0,15%

     Fines < 100 mesh 2.6%

     Compression resistance 8 kg/cm2 (1 hr)


    hr)

    34 kg/cm2 (4 hrs
    hrs))

    42 kg/cm2 (24 hrs


    hrs))

     Bench life 14.30 min

     Silica sand content 1.24%


    Chromite bench life graph
    Safety value
    Resistance kg/cm2

    Hardening time (hrs) Bench life (min)


    Results
     100% use of reclaimed sand for
    moulding (backing)
     100% use of reclaimed chromite for
    moulding (facing)
     Only 5% addition of new
    sand/chromie through cores
    Additional remarks
     The process can be applied using different
    types of sand, such as: chromites, silica,
    olivine

     Approximately 30% of sand hardened by C02


    does not create any problem

     Latest sodium silicate gives good bench life and


    compression strength with high room
    temperature too
    Conclusions
    This process has given the following advantages

     Low moulding costs due to a lower use of binders

    and higher sand reclamation.

     Very good castings with good surfaces and

    impressive reduction of defects caused by gas.

     Healthier working environment and no dangerous

    gas evolution.
    Thanks a lot for your
    attention

    For more details:


    details: www.sogemieng.it

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