Integrated system and process for heat treating castings and reclaiming sand

A method for processing a casting having a sand core and reclaiming sand from the sand core, the sand core comprising sand particles bound together by a binder material, the sand core defining a cavity within the casting, and the method comprising steps of:

• introducing the casting, with at least a portion of the sand core therein, into a furnace system, wherein the furnace system defines
• a heating region, and
• a cooling region disposed below and proximate to the heating region and in heat and gaseous communication with the heating region, and
• wherein the heating region includes at least a floor and a weir defining a weir opening edge positioned above the floor;
• heating the core material in the casting while the casting is disposed within the heat region to a temperature sufficient to loosen sand core material from the casting, wherein portions of the sand core exit from the casting into the heating region;
• reclaiming, at least partially and within the heating region, sand from the portions of the sand core that have exited the casting;
• directing a flow of reclaimed sand over the weir opening edge so that reclaimed sand falls from the weir into the cooling region;
• cooling the reclaimed sand in the cooling region;
• and discharging the reclaimed sand from the cooling region.

A furnace system for processing a casting having sand core material attached thereto and reclaiming sand from the sand core material, the sand core material comprising sand particles bound together by a binder material, the sand core material defining a cavity within the casting, and the furnace system comprising:

• a heating work chamber for receiving the casting therewithin;
• heating means for heating said heating work chamber to a temperature sufficient to pyrolize binder material of the sand core, whereby portions of the sand core material are loosened and exit from the casting while the casting is within said heating work chamber;
• a reclaiming fluidizer within said work chamber for substantially reclaiming sand from portions of the sand core material, and
• a cooling fluidizer for receiving the reclaimed sand from said reclaiming fluidizer and cooling the reclaimed sand, wherein said cooling fluidizer is proximate to and in heat and gaseous communication with said reclaiming fluidizer.

A furnace system for processing a casting having sand core material attached thereto and reclaiming sand from the sand core material, the sand core material comprising sand particles bound together by a binder material, the sand core material defining a cavity within the casting, and the furnace system comprising:

• a heating work chamber for receiving the casting therewithin;
• heating means for heating said heating work chamber to a temperature sufficient to dislodge portions of the sand core material from the casting, whereby portions of the sand core material exit the casting while the casting is within said heating work chamber;
• a receptacle for receiving the portions of the sand core material which have exited the casting, said receptacle being in gaseous and heat communication with said heating work chamber, said receptacle including a bottom;
• a fluidizer for fluidizing the sand core material within said receptacle to reclaim sand;
• a weir conduit defining an elongated passage and including
• a first end including a weir edge that defines an upper weir opening that is open to said passage, wherein sand flows over said weir edge into said passage to exit said receptacle, and wherein said opening is disposed above said bottom of said receptacle to define a weir height, and
• a second end, wherein said passage is open at said second end and the sand flows from said second end to exit said receptacle;
• and
• adjustment means for adjusting said weir height so that the amount of time that the sand core material is subjected to said fluidizer is adjusted.

A method for processing a casting having a sand core and reclaiming sand from the sand core, the sand core comprising sand particles bound together by a binder material, the sand core defining a cavity within the casting, and the method comprising the steps of:

• containing the casting, with a least a portion of the sand core therein, in a furnace chamber heated to a temperature sufficient to loosen portions of said core from the casting, whereby portions of the sand core are loosened and exit the cavity of the casting while the casting is within the furnace;
• subjecting portions of the sand core which have exited the casting to a fluidizing step in a fluidizing bed, wherein the fluidizing step includes the steps of
• separating binder material from sand of the portions of the sand core that have exited the casting, whereby sand is reclaimed from the portions of sand core, and
• causing sand to flow toward and over a weir to discharge reclaimed sand from the furnace chamber;
• and
• changing the height of the weir so that the size of the fluidized bed is changed and the amount of time that the collected portions of sand core are subjected to the fluidizing step is changed.

A furnace system for processing a casting having sand core material attached thereto and reclaiming sand from the sand core material, the sand core material comprising sand particles bound together by a binder material, the sand core material defining a cavity within the casting, and the furnace system comprising:

• a heating work chamber for receiving the casting therewithin;
• a heater for heating said heating work chamber to a temperature sufficient to dislodge portions of the sand core from the casting, whereby portions of the sand core material exit the casting while the casting is within said heating work chamber;
• a reclaiming fluidizer for receiving the portions of the sand core material that exit the casting and substantially reclaiming sand from the portions of the sand core material, wherein said reclaiming fluidizer is proximate to and in heat and gaseous communication with said heating work chamber;
• and
• a cooling fluidizer for receiving the reclaimed sand from said reclaiming fluidizer and cooling the reclaimed sand,
• wherein said reclaiming fluidizer is operative to draw heated gasses from proximate to said cooling fluidizer and use the heated gasses in the reclaiming of sand from the fallen portions of the sand core.

A method for processing a casting having a sand core and reclaiming sand from the sand core, the sand core comprising sand particles bound together by a binder material, the sand core defining a cavity within the casting, and the method comprising steps of:

• introducing the casting, with at least a portion of the sand core therein, into a furnace system, wherein the furnace system defines
• a heating region, and
• a cooling region in heat and gaseous communication with the heating region, and
• wherein the heating region includes at least a floor and a weir defining a weir opening positioned above the floor;
• heating the core material in the casting while the casting is disposed within the heat region to a temperature sufficient to both heat treat the casting and loosen sand core material from the casting, wherein portions of the sand core exit from the casting into the heating region;
• reclaiming, at least partially and within the heating region, sand from the portions of the sand core that have exited the casting;
• discharging the reclaimed sand through the weir opening from the heating region into the cooling region;
• cooling the reclaimed sand in the cooling region;
• and discharging the reclaimed sand from the cooling region.