Influence of melt temperature on strength parameters of cyclically activated used-up sandmixes containing water-glass, hardened with microwaves

The paper presents results of a research on a possibility to apply the innovative, combined with activation of the binder, reclamation process of microwave-hardened moulding sands containing water-glass. The sandmix to be examined, prepared of high-silica sand and the selected water-glass grade 145, was subject to the following cyclical processing stages: mixing the components, compacting, microwave hardening, cooling-down, thermal loading the mould to 800 or 1200 °C, cooling-down to ambient temperature, knocking-out, mechanical dry and wet reclamation, refreshing. After each subsequent cycle of processing the sandmix, used and overheated to various degrees, determined was tensile and bending strength. Analysis of the obtained results indicates that it is possible to activate regenerate of used sandmix containing water-glass, hardened by microwave heating. However, effectiveness of activation in subsequent life cycles of the sandmix is significantly affected by temperature of the casting alloy poured to the mould.