No-bake process refers to the use of chemical binders to bond the moulding sand. Sand is moved to the mould fill station in preparation for
filling of the mould. A mixer is used to blend the sand with the chemical binder and activator. As the sand exits the mixer, the binder
begins the chemical process of hardening. This paper presents the results of decomposition of the moulding sands with modified ureafurfuryl
resin (with the low content of furfuryl alcohol below 25 % and different activators: organic and inorganic) on a quartz matrix,
under semi-industrial conditions. Investigations of the gases emission in the test foundry plant were executed according to the method
extended in the Faculty of Foundry Engineering (AGH University of Science and Technology). Article presents the results of the emitted
chosen aromatic hydrocarbons and loss on ignition compared with the different activators used to harden this resin. On the bases of the
data, it is possible to determine the content of the emitted dangerous substances from the moulding sand according to the content of loss on
ignition.
The results of investigations of thermal reclamation of spent moulding sands originating from an aluminum alloy foundry plant are
presented in this paper. Spent sands were crushed by using two methods. Mechanical fragmentation of spent sand chunks was realized in
the vibratory reclaimer REGMAS. The crushing process in the mechanical device was performed either with or without additional
crushing-grinding elements. The reclaimed material obtained in this way was subjected to thermal reclamations at two different
temperatures. It was found that a significant binder gathering on grain surfaces favors its spontaneous burning, even in the case when
a temperature lower than required for the efficient thermal reclamation of furan binders is applied in the thermal reclaimer. The burning
process, initiated by gas burners in the reclaimer chamber, generates favorable conditions for self-burning (at a determined amount of
organic binders on grain surfaces). This process is spontaneously sustained and decreases the demand for gas. However, due to the
significant amount of binder, this process is longer than in the case of reclaiming moulding sand prepared with fresh components.