Publication

Abstract : This paper concentrates on the method of effectively utilizing dissipated heat from castings to preheat the raw material of the consequent batch, thereby minimizing energy input for melting a fresh batch of raw material. The wastage of energy during manufacturing processes is a major environmental concern due to the reducing energy resources. This paper focuses on reducing energy wastage in one of the most common manufacturing processes, sand casting. In the process of casting, when the molten metal solidifies, large amounts of heat energy dissipated by the metal is absorbed by the sand and released into the atmosphere. By introducing metal shots to acquire the heat lost during the above-mentioned process, the hot metal shots could be utilized to preheat the raw material ingots. This reduces the net energy used by the furnace for melting the next batch. Upon experimenting with aluminum casting using the green sand casting method, it was found out that at least 5.7% of heat energy recovery is possible from the energy input. This will prove to be highly effective in terms of reduction of the energy requirement of casting processes, thereby rewarding us with ecological and economic benefits.