Mechanical reclamation process of spent moulding sands generate large amounts dusts containing mainly rubbed spent binding agents and quartz dust. The amounts of post-reclamation dusts, depending of the reclamation system efficiency and reclaim dedusting system, can reach 5 -10% in relation to the total reclaimed moulding sand. This dust due to the high content of the organic substances is a threat to the environment and therefore requires the storage on landfills specially adapted for this type of waste. On the other hand, the presence of organic substances causes that these dusts have relatively high energy values that could be used. However, at present there is no coherent, environmentally friendly concept for the management of this type of dust. The paper presents the results of tests of thermal utilization the dusts (as a source of energy) were carried out at AGH University of Science and Technology. Thermal utilization of dusts was carried out in the co-burning with carbon carriers process or in individual burning (Patent PL 227878 B1 and patent application PL - 411 902).

The furan resin offers advantages such as high intensity, low viscosity, good humidity resistance and is suitable for cast different casting

alloys: steel, cast iron and non-ferrous metal casting. For hardening furan resins are used different hardeners (acid catalysts). The acid

catalysts have significant effects on the properties of the cured binder (e,g. binding strength and thermal stability) [1 - 3]. Investigations of

the gases emission in the test foundry plant were performed according to the original method developed in the Faculty of Foundry

Engineering, AGH UST. The analysis is carried out by the gas chromatography method with the application of the flame-ionising detector

(FID) (TRACE GC Ultra THERMO SCIENTIFIC).

The subject of this paper was to compare the influence of selected coatings on bending strength of moulds and cores manufactured in a furan technology. In a range of study, there were used three kinds of coatings - water based coating and two kind of alcohol based coating manufactured by FOSECO. Coating were applicated by brush, overpouring/flow and spraying. For each application method, there were realized different kind of drying- at ambient temperature, in a furnace and by burning. Physicochemical properties of coatings were such selected to accommodate them to the application method and type of coating. Based on the conducted studies it was observed that for water based coating application method doesn’t have an important influence on bending strength and it is necessary to optimize the time and temperature of drying to achieve better results of bending strength. For alcohol based coatings, drying by burning causes significant deterioration of bending strength of the mould and core and drying process at ambient allows to obtain high bending strength of mould/cores in regard to time of drying.