C OATI NG S F I LT R AT I O N FEEDING SYSTEMS M E LT S H O P R E F R A C TO R I E S ME TAL TRE ATME NT BINDERS CRUCIBLES

Foundry Practice 255

JUNE 2011

The Authoritative Magazine For Foundry Engineers

REFANOL* ADVANCED FURANE BINDER SYSTEMS

CONTROL LIMITS FOR THE DRYING OF WATER BASED COATINGS

 Foundry Practice 255
The Authoritative Magazine For Foundry Engineers
JUNE 2011

02 REFANOL ADVANCED FURANE BINDER SYSTEMS

REFANOL - a new range of furane resin binders
Authors: Alexander Schrey, Foseco Europe and Mathias Gruber, Foseco Germany
Changes made by the European body for Chemical Hazards to the classification
of foundry binders based on furfuryl alcohol, has meant a significant research
programme for Foseco to ensure it can supply its customers with binder
systems that not only satisfy their casting requirements but also allows them to
work within the confines of this new legislation. The resulting REFANOL range
of furane based binders is now available and, after extensive trials in a German
iron foundry, has shown in practice the ability to meet all the design criteria
required for successful foundry operations.

07 CONTROL LIMITS FOR THE DRYING OF WATER BASED COATINGS

Setting control limits for the drying of water based coatings
Authors: Norbert Schütze, Foseco Germany
Within the jobbing casting production environment, with its changing product
mix and often large castings, the adoption of water-based coatings has proved
difficult to implement. By developing an understanding of the drying process
and the effect of residual moisture on the as-cast quality of castings, it is
possible to provide practical guidelines for the use and control of water-based
coatings. In addition, it is possible to set control parameters for preventing
metal / mould reactions whilst optimising productivity.

01
 REFANOL - a new range of furane resin binders

REFANOL - a new range of furane resin binders.

CMYK
Grey : 0 / 0 / 0 /85
Red : 0 / 100 / 96 / 0

REFANOL is a range of modern furane resin binders which As soon as furfuryl alcohol in a furane resin binder comes
are based on polymerised furfuryl alcohol in order to reduce in contact with an acid catalyst a complete polymerisation
the content of free furfuryl alcohol monomer which has reaction takes place ending in highly cross linked solid
been the subject of recent EU chemical hazard classification matter.
changes.
HOH2C n O CH2OH
The development of this new family of binders and its Mild acid polymerisation
O O O
C+ Strong acid hardening
practical application in an iron foundry will be described in Furfuryl Alcohol Liquid Polymer
O

the following chapters.

Chemical fundamentals of furane resins having

HOH2C O CH2OH
O O O n O O O O O n O

OH HOH2C
O O O n O O O O O O n O
CH2OH

O +additives:
a furfuryl alcohol monomer content below 25%
HOH2C CH2OH
Urea Formaldehyde O O O n O O O O n O

PhenolicResin Cured Furan matrix

Polyols
Silanes
Since its introduction in the foundry industry, furfuryl alcohol Solvents

has been the main constituent of furane no bake resins.

When used as a foundry binder, furfuryl alcohol is cured Strong acid hardening

by means of acids and crosslinked to solid matter having

exceptionally good high-temperature properties. Figure 2. From furfuryl alcohol to the highly crosslinked furane matrix in
the foundry binder
Furfuryl alcohol is produced from furfural, a colourless liquid
changing to red-brownish in colour under the influence of With recently developed process technology it is now
light and air. Furfural, which is heavier than water, occurs as possible to convert furfuryl alcohol into a liquid polymer
a natural constituent of essential oils in many plants. product in which the individual furfuryl alcohol monomers
The feedstock for the production of furfuryl alcohol are polymerised. (See Figure 2).
is bagasse. The fibrous matter that remains from the In the resin reactor polymer products are produced under
processing of sugar cane is called bagasse, a byproduct controlled polymerisation conditions which differ between
when the sugar syrup is pressed from the plants. each other in respect of their chain length. These polymer
Bagasse contains, in addition to other compounds, chain lengths result in variable resin properties, particularly
hemicellulose as a typical constituent of vegetable cell walls. in respect of resin viscosity, wettability of sand surfaces and
Hemicellulose is a mixture, of poly-sacharides and mono- curing characteristics.
sacharides, for example pentose. After the polymerisation reaction in the resin reactor there
Furfural is produced from these sugar compounds with are polymers obtained of which the monomer furfuryl
five carbon atoms by means of an industrial dehydration alcohol content is always below 25% and therefore does
process and using subsequent hydrogenation, the furfural is not require the reclassification that the recent changes in
converted to furfuryl alcohol. (See Figure 1). legislation have made necessary for mixtures containing
more than 25% of free furfuryl alcohol monomer.
H
H HO HO HH OH H H
H HO HO HH OH
H High
temperature These polymers provide the base materials for modern
O O O O steam H2
HO HOH H HO HOH HHO O
O
O
OH furane resins which are produced in accordance with the
H H H O H H H
H O
HO H Furfural Furfuryl Alcohol
requirements of the foundries by addition of various co-
HOH2C H polymers and additives.
H OH
Hemicellulose

Figure 1. The route from organic mass to furfuryl alcohol

02
 Due to the higher molecular weight, the polymerised furfuryl 45
Standard-Furane binder
alcohol is characterised by a higher viscosity, compared with Resin addition 1%
Silica Sand H 32 (75% Furfuryl Alcohol)
0,4% PTSA
standard furfuryl alcohol. Typical viscosities of these resins,

Micrometer strength (N/cm2)

REFANOL -Test Binder 1
30
depending on water and furfuryl alcohol content, range 0,25% PTSA
REFANOL -Test Binder 2
between 100 and 300 mPa.s at 250C. Furfuryl alcohol 0,25% PTSA
REFANOL -Test Binder 3
polymers feature an extremely long shelf life and undergo 15 0,25% PTSA

no further increase in viscosity, compared, for instance, with

phenol-resole resins.
0
30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95
As the furfuryl alcohol polymers do not contain any Time (mins)

inorganic impurities reclamation of used foundry sand is

Figure 3. Reactometer diagram for a standard furane resin binder and
possible without any problems at all.
three binders with reduced furfuryl alcohol monomer content

The conclusion from the test results in Figure 3 show that

Development and testing of binders in the furane resin binders with reduced furfuryl alcohol monomer
laboratory and testing facility content when used with PTSA catalysts exhibit a strength
development which compares to that of standard furane
The development of foundry binders is based on the
resin binders.
individual requirements of the respective final user.
Another important result is the lower acid demand of the
For the development of binders for the furane cold-setting
new REFANOL binders. This feature is due to the higher
resin process with furfuryl alcohol as the starting raw
reactivity of the furfuryl alcohol polymer. For application
material, several technical parameters like strength and
in the foundry this offers, in addition to economical
strength development, bench life, elasticity of the cured
benefits based on lower acid additions, a technical and
moulding sand, as well as mould material break-down and
environmental advantage. The lower acid demand will lead
reclamation of the used sand at the end of the production
to a reduction of the sulphur content in the sand and reduce
cycle play a vital role.
the risk of graphite nodule reversion when producing ductile
It is possible to target desired properties of the furane iron castings. In addition, the formation of sulphur dioxide is
binder by means of careful selection of individual binder reduced during the pouring and cooling processes resulting
components in order to obtain the best possible technical in a cleaner working environment.
and economical results in respect of the final casting.
These advantages have been confirmed during practical
The development of furane binders with reduced furfuryl testing of these new furane resin binders in several
alcohol monomer content follow the same requirements, foundries.
but is made more difficult by the fact that the polymerised
In addition to initial strength development and reactivity the
furfuryl alcohol differs fundamentally from standard furfuryl
final strength of furane resin binders is of interest. In this
alcohol.
respect it was found that the new resin binders give slightly
The determination of the intrinsic properties of furfuryl reduced final strengths when compared with standard resins
alcohol polymers was the first stage of the development containing 75 to 90% furfuryl alcohol. (See Figure 4).
work. Only then was it possible to select additional binder
45
components which, in combination with the furfuryl alcohol Resin Addition 1%: Silica Sand H 32,
polymer, make up the final binder recipe. 40 Standard-Furane Resin with 0,4%
REFANOL-Binder with 0,25% PTSA
Cumulative Inclusion Count

35
The development work was designed to produce a binder
having the property profile of a classical Urea Formaldehyde 30
/ Furfuryl Alcohol resin ( UF / FA ) containing 75% furfuryl 25
alcohol. This reference binder cures with Para toluene
sulphonic acid ( PTSA ) and is recommended for the 20

production of small to medium moulds and cores for iron 15

castings. 10
Standard REFANOL REFANOL REFANOL
Initial investigations with new binders concentrate on the Furane Binder Test Binder Test Binder 2 Test Binder
simple question of whether after successful addition and 75% Furfuryl
Alcohol
mixing of the binder components with the silica sand, curing
will take place within a reasonable period of time and if Figure 4. Transverse strength comparison after 24 hours [N/cm²] between
technically acceptable mould strength values are obtained. a standard furane resin binder and new furane resin binders with
reduced furfuryl alcohol monomer content
For the evaluation of strength increase in relation to curing
time, sand testing by means of the moulding material The reasons for the lower final strength values of the new
reactometer test apparatus was conducted. (See Figure 3). furane resin binders could be derived from their higher
viscosity, the wettability characteristics on the sand grain
surface and the higher binder reactivity.
Further investigations regarding reaction kinetics
and wetting processes are the subject of continuous
development work.

03 Issue 255
 REFANOL - a new range of furane resin binders.
In practical foundry applications the pattern stripping
properties of furane resin bonded moulds and cores are of
central importance. The effort required for pattern stripping
determines, to a certain degree, the productivity of a
moulding shop. The shrinking of furane resin bonded sand
onto the pattern surface during curing is considered to be a
problem. This creates difficult labour intensive efforts when
stripping the pattern equipment and, in certain cases, can
cause damage to the mould wall because of insufficient
elasticity of the bonded sand. This can result in costly repair
work to both the mould or pattern equipment.
Foseco has taken this problem into consideration and is in a
position to determine the elasticity of resin-bonded sand test
bars in the laboratory. This makes it possible to develop and
compare binders in a targeted manner based on differing
elasticity properties.
Furane resin bonded sand test bars are examined after
reaching the stripping compression strength of 30 N/cm²,
at intervals of 10 minutes for compression strength and
deflection, as is shown schematically in Figure 5.

Stress MPa Figure 6. Testing device for the determination of the elastic properties of
2.5 resin bonded test samples
2.25 0.3% 0.6%
F
2.0 E
180
1.75 D
160 Standard furane resin
1.5
binder with 75% furfuryl
1.25 140
alcohol - 0,4% PTSA
120 REFANOL - Test binder 1
Strength (N/cm2)

1.0 C
0.75 100
B
0.5 80
0.25 A 60
30 N/cm 2

0.0 40
0.0 0.125 0.25 0.375 0.5 0.625 0.75 0.875 1.0 1.125 1.25
Strain % 20
0
Figure 5. Schematic presentation of stress / strain curves for determination 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1 1,2 1,4
Strain
of the elasticity properties of furane resin bonded mould materials
Figure 7. REFANOL binders exhibit superior properties with regard to
elasticity and pattern stripping performance
The tests are carried out by means of a fully automatic test
apparatus. Strength and deflection values, are measured by
means of a 3-point-bending device. The values obtained are In the course of development and laboratory testing of
recorded and graphically presented. (See Figure 6). REFANOL binders, a series of seven different binder recipes
The load on the test samples is adjustable and is applied were developed to meet the required technical applications
with a constant load increase. in several foundries.

The comparison of standard furane resin binders and new These binders differ with regard to their reactivity and
furane resins with reduced furfuryl alcohol monomer content nitrogen content and as such are suitable for all casting alloy
has shown a remarkable superiority of the new binders in applications.
respect to improved elastic properties. (See Figure 7).
Within the scope of the development work it was found that
this property is inherent in all the furfuryl alcohol polymer
recipes.
This advantageous property of these new binders has been
confirmed in several foundry applications with significantly
less effort required for pattern release, especially in cases of
ribbed patterns or contours with deep cavities.

04
 REFANOL-Binder A B C D E F G Practical experience with REFANOL binder in an
Furfuryl alcohol < < < < < < < iron foundry
content 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%
(monomer) The development route, to which the new REFANOL binders
Nitrogen < 3% < < 2% < 1% < < < 1% are subjected, from the laboratory through extensive testing
content 0.5% 1.5% 0.5% of the formulations in the Foseco Testing Facility and after
release there, requires as the next step practical testing on a
Water content < < 8% < 10 < 8% < 10 < 8% < 10
12% %
larger foundry scale. (Figures 9 to 13).
% %
Viscosity in 135 135 130 170 100 200 150 With the foundry business of Hermann Everken GmbH
mPa.s @ 25°C located at Olsberg in Sauerland, Germany, Foseco has
cultivated long-lasting partnership cooperation. This company
Density in g/l
@ 20° C has a long history in the production of grey and ductile iron
manufacture castings having a cast weight ranging from 1
Acid required 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.30
kg to 8,000 kg. In the hand-moulding shop, castings are
to reach
reference produced weighing between 300kg and 8,000kg using the
reactivity in furane cold-setting resin process.
%*
The many different and demanding casting geometries,
Saving of 25 25 25 50 38 25 25 e.g. electric motor housings with many cooling ribs,
acid needed
for reaching
distributed over a wide profile cut with little taper are posing
reference considerable technical demands on the furane resin binder.
activity %* The process has to facilitate many production requirements
such as variable bench life and strip times and must achieve
After conclusion of the work in the chemical and sand
excellent pattern release from complex mould and core
laboratories, REFANOL resin binders were evaluated in
shapes.
the foundry test facility. Sand test specimens produced
with REFANOL resin binder were fixed in an INSURAL* The evaluation of REFANOL at Hermann Everken GmbH was
feeder which was embedded in silica sand agglomerate. a very demanding application because of the high technical
Subsequently the test specimens were cast with grey cast requirement level, but on the other hand a good comparison
iron at 1350°C. (See Figure 8). of the new binder systems was possible.
The objective of this investigation was to assess the The properties to be expected for the foundry tests were
olfactometry of the pouring fumes followed by an known from the work in the laboratory. For example,
assessment of the casting surface finish after removal from the bench life and strip time speeds required were well
the sand. documented along with the required resin addition and
target acid level. The mould transverse strength values
At no time during the pouring and cooling process were
requested by the customer were approx. 180 N/cm² after
there any development of pouring fumes that differed from
2 hours and approx. 240 N/cm² after 24 hours. These are
those based on conventional furane resin binders.
achieved with the standard furane resin binder (75% furfuryl
The uncoated sand test specimens have produced faultless alcohol) with a resin addition of 0.8% and a PTSA acid
test castings with a surface quality comparable with that addition of 0.39%
known from standard furane resin binders.
To obtain these values during the tests with REFANOL, the
binder addition had to be increased from 0.8% to 0.9% .
It was, however, possible to reduce the PTSA acid addition
from 0.39% to 0.30%, to obtain the required bench life
and strip time. The resultant strength values after 2 hours,
were slightly higher than the standard. The strength levels
of the samples after 24 hours were slightly lower. The final
strength level of the moulds and cores, however, were within
the required range.
A decisive criteria during the REFANOL testing process was
the observation of emissions during mould production.
Members of the Olsberg staff described the odour of the
resin at the moulding stations as significantly reduced
and not objectionable. During the casting process this
first impression was put on record as an additional bonus.
Therewith, the technological large-scale test confirmed the
results of the preceding laboratory examinations and the
tests in the Foseco testing facility.
Furthermore, the customer acknowledged the trouble-free
Figure 8. Pouring of REFANOL bonded sand test specimen in the Foseco stripping of the pattern equipment as extremely positive.
test facility Due to the excellent plastic properties of REFANOL the easy
and clean stripping of the patterns was confirmed as an
Based on these results it was than possible to prepare large- outstanding feature of the new resin.
scale tests of REFANOL in an iron foundry.

05 Issue 255
 REFANOL - a new range of furane resin binders.
Moulds and cores were coated in the standard manner with
Foseco coating TENO* Sil 1711.
Trouble-free pouring of the REFANOL moulds and cores took
place.
The resultant castings produced with REFANOL had clean
surfaces and contours without any casting defects.
These positive results of the pilot series were verified and
confirmed over several weeks during the subsequent tests
covering the complete pattern range. As the result, the
customer issued the release for REFANOL as a production
product and an alternative to the use of a standard furane
resin. Figure 9. Filling the mould with REFANOL binder

Figures 9 to 13 show the moulding and casting process at

Hermann Everken GmbH.

Summary
The reclassification of furfuryl alcohol by the new European
substances legislation has led to an upgrading of the
hazard risks which are assigned to the furane resin binders
for the foundry industry.
The development of furfuryl alcohol polymers allowed the
reduction of the furfuryl alcohol monomer content to levels
below 25%. Based on these new furfuryl alcohol polymers
Foseco has developed a new binder family named REFANOL. Figure 10. REFANOL moulds have sharp contours
Due to their high reactivity, REFANOL binders are
outstanding regarding their low acid demand requirements.
The elasticity properties of REFANOL binders are greater than
those of standard furane resins. The remarkably easier
pattern stripping reduces the risks of mould wall damage
and the need for time consuming and costly repair work.
The maximum strength of the new binders is lower than that
of standard furane resins. From our experience, however, the
strength values are sufficient for the majority of
applications. The improvement of the strength level is a
central task of continued developments.
In practical applications, REFANOL has proven its value Figure 11. Closing the mould produced with REFANOL binder
already, as has been shown here by the example of a
medium-sized iron foundry.

References
Bundesverband der deutschen Gießerei-Industrie,
BDG-report 3/10, Düsseldorf
TransFuranes Chemicals, Personal information, 2010
Boenisch, D.; Lotz, W.: Das Formstoffreaktometer –
Härtungsüberwachung von Kaltharzen und
Polyurethanbindern. [The mould material reactometer -
A test kit to determine reactivity and through-cure of
cold-setting resins and polyurethane binders] Giesserei Figure 12. Pouring
70 (1983) Heft 4, S. 97-106 the mould

The authors extend their thanks for the support received

from the firm of Olsberg Hermann Everken GmbH and
Mr Ulrich Herrmann (Foundry manager) and Mr Burkhart
Drilling (Assistant Foundry manager) and their staff.

Figure 13. Casting

produced in Refanol

06
 Control limits for the drying of water-based
coatings

CMYK
Grey : 0 / 0 / 0 /85
Red : 0 / 100 / 96 / 0

Introduction: Further work investigated the effect of varying levels of

residual moisture on the as-cast surface quality of cast
The use of water-based coatings for the mass production components and helps to define guidelines for practical
of small to medium sized components, such as for the foundry applications.
automotive industry, has been state of the art for many
years. Within this process the meticulous drying of the The level of retained moisture is dependant on the drying
applied coating layer through continuous or batch ovens process; this process is influenced by a number of key
is standard practice. However in the jobbing casting factors:
production environment with its changing product mix and • ambient temperature
often much larger castings, the adoption of water-based • air flow
coatings has proved harder to implement. • humidity of the surrounding air
Environmental legislation and its drive to improve the • storage time
internal work-place environment, reduce volatile organic • refractory filler of the coating
compound (VOC) emissions and restrict the storage and • method of coating application
use of hazardous substances is increasing the pressure on • solids content of the coating
foundries to reduce the dependence on alcohol-based A more conclusive summary of all the influencing factors
coatings in favour of water-based products. affecting the drying process is shown in Figure 1, however
There is no doubt that for the practical foundry engineer for the purposes of this study only those listed above have
this change involves significant process modifications and been considered.
that significant planning and control procedures must be
implemented to ensure that casting quality is maintained - Compaction - Refractory filler
without loss in productivity. - Grain size distribution - Particle size
- Parting agent distribution
- Binding type - Gel system
Scope of work: Mould production - Resin / hardener
additions
Coating production - Binder system
- Other additives
- Casting section - Carrier liquid
This paper investigates the effect of residual moisture within thickness

the coating layer, and that absorbed into the surface of the Coatings
application
moulding media, on the as-cast quality, when using water- - Type of application
- Time in contact with coating
based coatings. It provides a methodology for setting control - Solids content
- Layer thickness and penetration depth
parameters for determining when a mould or core is dry - Number of application layers
enough to be used within the casting process without the Drying Casting
risk of causing casting defects, such as:
- Temperature - Defect-free casting
• gas cavities - Humidity
- Air flow
• blow-holes - Mechanical movement
- Distance from heat source
• pin-holes
• scabs
Figure 1. Influencing factors on the drying process of a coated mould
Based on initial foundry trials, it was determined that surface
these defects can be expected if residual moisture levels
exceeded a reading of 50 units, but were not present if the
moulds were dried and had a residual moisture content
measurement of less than 10 units.

07 Issue 255
 Setting control limits for the drying of water-based coatings
Through understanding of the influencing factors it is
possible to develop a production process that utilises
water-based coatings without the need for expensive drying
ovens or forced-air drying equipment, whilst ensuring the
manufacture of castings without moisture related casting
defects.

Residual moisture measurements:

Within the scope of this study, the main control parameter
for ensuring the production of defect-free castings is the
measurement of the retained moisture within the coating
layer and that absorbed into the surface of the moulding Figure 3. Crank case core coated with a water-based product (Foseco stand -
media. The relative measurement of moisture within this GIFA 2007)
layer was achieved using a moisture meter supplied by
PCE Instruments. The unit (see Figure 2) consists of dual A comparison of water-based and alcohol-based coatings
contact pins which are inserted into the mould surface, and (see Table 1) highlights the benefits achieved by this foundry
outputs a value relative to the residual moisture. Additionally in a number of areas of using water-based technology,
separate measurements of both relative ambient humidity with the only negative attribute being the drying time.
and temperature are displayed. However by understanding the control parameters for the
use of water-based coatings this negative parameter can be
improved significantly.

Criteria Water Alcohol

Processing features +/++ ++
Wetting on sand surface +/++ ++
Drying 0/- ++
Odour ++ 0/-
Fire hazard and preventive measures ++ -/--

Workplace organisation + 0

Figure 2. PCE-HGP Moisture meter Workplace removal of VOC’s ++ -

Table 1. Comparison of alcohol and water-based coatings

Practical application:
Drying theory:
The foundry of MAN B&W Diesel in Augsburg, Germany
has for many years used SEMCO* Zir 7300B water-based The drying process in air is primarily determined by
coatings for the manufacture of large engine block castings the ambient conditions (air humidity, air flow and air
(see Figure 3). The process is described in detail in Foundry temperature). In addition, the constituents of the coating
Practice 251 (“Highest quality marine engine castings”). It and of the moulding material will have an effect on this
should be noted that in this case the foundry is using forced- process, and especially whether the solvent used is water or
air drying at approximately 80 oC to dry the water-based alcohol. Water-based products will take much longer than
coating, but under optimised control conditions this could those based on alcohol because water has a significantly
be eliminated. lower vapour pressure. For comparison, the drying time of a
core coated with an alcohol-based coating is approximately
30 minutes, while that of a core coated with a water-based
coating is approximately 7 hours.
Typically the drying process can be characterised by reference
to three parameters:
• moisture content
• drying rate
• time period

08
 When determining these process parameters the ambient
conditions (temperature, air flow, humidity, temperature of
radiating surfaces in the vicinity) should be kept constant.
The data collected can be presented in different graphical
C B
forms as shown in Figures 4-6. These graphs highlight the

Drying rate
three main stages of drying: A

A E
B
D
0
0 Moisture content
Moisture content

C Figure 6. Changes in drying rate with residual moisture content

• Stage C-D: This section represents a period in which the
drying rate is gradually decreasing to zero, as it becomes
harder and harder to remove residual moisture, a process
D
0 that can be further complicated by the development of
0 Time impermeable surface barriers as the top coating layer dries
out.
Figure 4. Changes in moisture content with time
An example of the difference in drying rates for an alcohol-
• Stage A-B: This stage represents a settling period in
based coating compared with a water-based product when
which the surface being dried reaches equilibrium with
applied to a silica sand substrate is shown in Figure 7.
the surrounding air. In our case this will be minimal in
that drying takes place at ambient conditions, but can be Whereas non-hygroscopic substances can be dried to a
significant when a cold body is introduced into a heated moisture level of zero, hygroscopic materials can only be
environment. dried to a final moisture level dependant on, amongst other
factors, the relative humidity of the surrounding air and the
relative sorption isotherms of the material. During the drying
process this becomes apparent by the inclusion of a fourth
stage (D-E).
B C
Drying rate

60g/kg
A
Alcohol
Weight carrier liquid to dry weight

50g/kg Water
Data
LF:50%
40g/kg Temperature: 20oC
D Flow velocity approx: ca 1 m/s
Grain size: H32
0 30g/kg Penetration depth: 0,9 (H20)-1,3 (IPA) mm
0 Time Layer thickness: 210 um

20g/kg
Figure 5. Changes in drying rate with time
• Stage B-C: This section represents the “constant-rate” 10g/kg
period in which the movement of moisture from within the
object is equal to the evaporation rate at the surface. This 0g/kg
continues until the “critical moisture content” (C) is reached, 00:00:00 01:12:00 02:24:00 03:36:00 04:48:00 06:00:00
Time in h-min-sec
at which point there is no longer an excess of moisture at
the surface, meaning the evaporation rate is no longer the
controlling factor. Figure 7. Comparison of drying times of an alcohol-based versus a water-based
coating

Test procedure:
To determine the relationship between coating type, residual
moisture content and casting quality, a test procedure was
developed which involved the pouring of liquid metal of a
known alloy around a standard transverse test-piece (see
Figure 8). The test-pieces were coated with different coating
types and their residual moisture at “point of casting” was
measured and recorded.
From the results of these pouring tests recommendations
and conclusions can be derived for practical application in
the foundry.

09 Issue 255
 Setting control limits for the drying of water-based coatings
Vent In addition to varying the residual moisture content, the
Downgate
effect on drying rate of both the coating refractory type and
the coating application method was assessed.
The different refractory filler combinations tested were:

Filter
• aluminium silicate
• aluminium oxide
• zirconium silicate
The different application methods were:
Figure 8. Test piece for determination of moisture-related casting defects • flow coating

Results: • dipping

Test pieces were cast with flake graphite and spheroidal • brushing
graphite iron at 1360°C/1400°C/1440°C onto a core made • spraying
from an 80:20 mixture of reclaimed and new silica sand
bonded with a furane resin. The results are shown in Figures
9a through 9e. Evaluation of all the results show that at residual moisture
levels of greater than 20 units (as measured using the “PCE”
meter), it is likely that the casting will exhibit defects such as
blow-holes, pin-holes and scabs. Below this critical value it is
unlikely that moisture-related casting defects will occur.
A transverse test-piece was coated with a 0.250mm wet
layer of zirconium silicate containing water-based coating
(SEMCO Zir 7300B), which corresponds to standard foundry
practice. A zirconium silicate based product was chosen due
9a 9b to its preferential drying rate over time compared with other
refractory types.
As can be seen in Figure 10, the
colour change between the wet
and dry areas is clearly visible
and indicates that drying has
progressed to the desired range
of less than 20 units of residual
moisture. This is shown in more
9c 9d detail in Figure 11.

Figure 10. Transverse test

piece with visible dry areas
in the outer areas and moist
darker central part

9e
Dry areas
Figure 9a – 9e. Test castings with between 25 and 50 units of residual moisture
at the mould surface with the associated casting defects

Moist areas

Figure 11. Core with dry areas (bright) and moist areas (dark), indicating
the degree of dryness

10
 Figure 12 shows the moisture gradient across the cross- 70
sectioned core with time. The diagram on the right shows Teno Coating
60
the core immediately after dipping, with a high moisture ZBBP 16
Semco Zir
content at the surface, decreasing towards the centre. The 50 7300 B
left diagram shows a drier surface and a more uniform Semco Coat-

Moisture
40
cross-sectional moisture level of approximately 16 units after ing 7700 A
Semco Tec TR
air-drying. 30
7000 A
20
After Drying After Dipping Moisture Content
0cm 0cm 22,00-24,00 10
20,00-22,00
2cm 2cm
18,00-20,00 0
4cm 4cm 16,00-18,00
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
14,00-16,00
6cm 6cm Time (h)
8cm 8cm
0cm 0.575 1.15 0.575 0cm 0cm 0.575 1.15 0.575 0cm
cm cm cm cm cm cm
Figure 14. Comparison of drying speeds of coatings containing different
refractory fillers
Figure 12. Moisture distribution through the test-piece’s cross-section

Effect of refractory filler combination on drying

The different coating application methods can influence the
drying process significantly. In the case of dipping and flow
speed
coating the coating penetrates deeper into the mould or Three different coatings were compared against an alcohol-
core surface (see Figure 13). based coating containing a zirconium silicate refractory filler
(TENO COATING ZBBP 16), and the residual moisture plotted
Regarding the selected water-based coating, SEMCO Zir
with time (see Figure 14).
7300B, the penetration depth is approximately 2mm.
This means more of the carrier liquid is absorbed into the Coating Name Refractory Filler
moulding media and the drying process is prolonged. In the
case of spraying or brushing, the penetration depth is less SEMCO Zir 7300 B Zirconium silicate
than 1mm, allowing for easier removal of the water and SEMCO Tec ZR 7000 A Mixed silicate
faster drying. w Coating 7700 A Aluminium oxide
It can be seen from the graphs in Figure 14 that the
zirconium silicate based coatings dry the fastest, followed
closely by the mixed silicate product. Coating based on
aluminium silicate or oxide take significantly longer to dry.

Effect of ambient conditions

The biggest effect on the drying rate of coatings is that
of the ambient conditions in which they are stored. The
graph in Figure 15 summarises the effects of the ambient
conditions, and shows that the air flow has the most
beneficial effect, and emphasises the benefits achieved
through forced air driers. Additionally both having a higher
air temperature and reducing humidity will assist in reducing
drying times.
Figure 13. Penetration of the coating into the moulding media dependant
on application method 14:24

12:00 12:30
The effect on drying time of the application method is 9:36
demonstrated for the coating SEMCO Zir 7300B when Air flow Air temperature Air humidity
applied to a wet thickness of 0.250 mm at 20 oC, and an 7:12
Time

initially measured moisture level of approximately 65 units.

4:48 5:12

Application Method Drying Time 3:17 3:25

2:24 2:22
1:59 1:55
Flow Coating Approx. 7 hours 1:20 1:10
0:00
Dipping Approx. 8 hours 0 m/s 0.5 m/s 1 m/s 3 m/s 15 C
o
30 C o
50% 30% Alcohol
Brushing Approx. 4 hours
Spraying Approx. 6 hours Figure 15. The effect of ambient conditions on drying time
After drying, the mould parts were resistant to abrasion and
had measured residual moisture of less than 20 units.

11 Issue 255
 Setting control limits for the drying of water-based coatings
Conclusions:
By evaluating the results of the coating tests with castings
poured in flake graphite iron, spheroidal graphite iron
and steel, together with further influencing factors
relating directly to the ambient conditions, the following
recommendations for air drying of water-based coatings can
be made:
1. Measure and control residual moisture using standard
measurement techniques, for example with a moisture
meter such as the PCE Instruments PCE-HGP unit
2. Maximise air movement; using forced air systems if
necessary – especially into deep pockets
3. Allow free space between the objects to be dried, in
order to encourage good air flow
4. Maintain air temperatures above 20 °C
5. Control air humidity to around 30% relative humidity.
6. If possible utilise zirconium silicate or mixed-silicate based
products
7. Increase solids content of coatings.
8. Optimise coating application methods

Foundry recommendation:
Individual foundries can set control limits based on their
specific requirements by determining the effect of residual
moisture on casting quality. In the following example (Figure
16), it was determined that for flake and spheroidal graphite
iron it is recommended to maintain residual moisture levels
in moulds and core surfaces to below 20 units, preferably
below 15, whereas for steel castings the residual moisture
levels should always be below 15 units prior to casting.

60
Blow holes
50 Scab

40
Moisture content

30

20

10
Non-critical area of water-caused casting defects
0
1360 1380 1400 1420 1440
Casting temp (°C)

Figure 16. Example control data detailing the setting of control limits at a
specific foundry

All figures quoted with regards to retained moisture content are relative
measurements based on readings from the PCE Instruments moisture probe. Model
PCE-HGP
All figures are based on a limited research sample and actual control parameters
should be set on an individual foundry basis.

12
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 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system of any nature or transmitted in any
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© Foseco International Ltd. 2011

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COMMENT
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