Foundry sand (also known as casting sand) consists primarily of clean, uniformly sized, high-quality silica
sand that is bonded to form moulds for ferrous (iron and steel) and
nonferrous (copper, aluminium, brass) metal castings.
The most common casting process used in the foundry industry is the
sand cast system. Virtually all sand cast moulds for ferrous
castings are of the green sand type. Green sand consists of
high-quality silica sand, bentonite clay (as the binder), water and
coal (a carbonaceous mould additive to improve casting finish).
The type of metal being cast determines which additives and what
gradation of sand is used. The production of foundry sand requires
specialist screening and classification systems and involves
detailed analysis of feed material and sand grade specifications.
Hengyang Industry manufacture the full range of equipment required on a foundry sand processing
plant and the modular nature of our equipment ensures:
Maximum process efficiency – careful attention to all material
transfer points maximises retention of material and water within
the circuit and ensures maximum product yield.
Minimal footprint – the clever integration of several processing
phases throughout our modular equipment range minimises the space
required to accommodate your plant and reduces overall project
costs through the reduction in associated works to prepare concrete
pads onto which your plant will be installed.
Rapid Deployment – our modular equipment range takes significantly
less time to install than the traditional stick build / static
plant approach. This ensures you are up and running in the shortest
possible time.
Minimal environmental impact – by choosing our water recycling and
tailings management system you will achieve up to 95% water
recycling from your wet processing plant and also significantly
reduce the space required to accommodate your silica sand plant.
Where is foundry sand used?
Ferrous (iron & steel) industries account for the majority of
foundry sand used for castings.
The automotive industry and its suppliers are also major consumers
of foundry sand. Typically, around 1 tonne of foundry sand is
required for each tonne of iron or steel casting produced.
Recycling foundry sand
The recycling of non-hazardous, spent foundry sand can save energy,
reduce the need to mine virgin materials and may reduce costs for
both producers and end users of foundry sand. Recycled foundry sand
typically finds use in construction applications but can also be
used in the following ways:
Feedstock for the manufacturing of Portland cement
Partial replacement for fine aggregate in asphalt mixtures
Sand required for masonry mortar mix
An individual analysis of the spent foundry sand in terms of
physical and chemical properties is required in order to determine
the potential for recycling of foundry sand and its suitable
applications.
