Experimental investigation on the time-temperature history of Al-Si alloy while cooling in fresh and reclaimed silicate sand mould

• Main Authors: Venkata Ramana, M., Sai Kiran, C., Vasudeva Rao, Veeredhi
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Molding sand; Mould temperature; Reclamation; Sodium silicate; Temperature history
• ISSN: 2214-7853; 2214-7853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.322

Metal casting is one the most important and a routine processes in a foundry industry in which hot molten metal is cast in to a mould cavity prepared with silica sand. Over the years, due to continuous use of naturally available silica sand, there are strong indications of shortage of this resource. Moreover, removal, transport and disposal of used silica sand costs money to the industry and also causes environmental concern at the location of dump sites. To address these two issues of reducing the consumption of fresh silica sand and to mitigate the environmental concern due to the disposal of used silica sand, recycling and reusing the used sand appears to be one possible solution. In the present investigation an attempt is made to establish the utility of reclaimed silicate bonded sand in place of fresh silica sand. An experimental test set up is developed to record time temperature histories of an alloy during cooling process in mould. Al-Si alloy is chosen to conduct the experiments. The time temperature histories of Al-Si alloy during its cooling in moulds made of fresh silica sand and reclaimed silicate bonded sand moulds were recorded and compared. It is observed that heat absorption capacity of reclaimed sand mould is slightly lower and resulted in slightly coarse grains of alloy that got solidified in a mould prepared from reclaimed sand. However, it is established in present investigation that the reclaimed sand can be successfully used in place of fresh silica sand.