Assessment of Foundry Chromite Sand Crushability under Thermal-Mechanical Loading

Abstract

When used for sand casting, foundry sand is stressed in several ways. These stresses, thermal and mechanical, compromise the grain integrity, resulting in size reduction and the production of small particles to the point where the sand is no longer viable for sand casting. This study evaluates the crushability of chromite sand, a crucial characteristic for determining how resistant sand is to size reduction by crushing. To replicate the heat and mechanical strain that sand is subjected to during the industrial sand-casting process, a sinter furnace and rod mill were employed. After nine minutes of heat and mechanical stress application, the crushing ratio, which was used to gauge the crushability of chromite sand, ranged from 1.72 to 1.92 for all samples. There were differences in the rate at which fine particles were produced among the samples, with sample E producing the highest proportion of fine particles in the same length of time. Understanding the properties that control the crushability performance of chromite sand will enable foundries to buy chromite sand with higher recycling yield, reducing the environmental impact of waste foundry sand and eliminating the risk to the workforce's pulmonary health in line with the current industry standards. Foundries will also be able to optimize the current industrial process while continually pushing for innovative foundry technologies and materials.