Investigating the Drying Process of Ceramic Sanitary Ware at Low Temperature

Abstract

Drying is one of the stages with the highest energy consumption in the manufacturing process of ceramic materials and aims to reduce the product’s moisture to levels necessary for safe firing stage, reducing the chances of defect formation. For sanitary ware, there is an additional energy cost in the pre-drying stage, which takes place immediately after removing the parts from the molds, and is carried out in an environment with lower temperatures (ranging from 30 to 40 °C). This work aims to experimentally study the drying process of sanitary ware at low temperatures, with particular reference to sanitary toilets with industrial dimensions. Four drying experiments were carried out in an oven with different operating conditions (temperature and relative humidity). The results indicate that an increase in temperature and reduction in relative humidity provoke a faster drying rate. For some physical situations, it is more interesting to dedicate efforts to reducing the relative humidity of the drying air instead of seeking solutions to raise its temperature. Furthermore, a correlation between the linear retraction and moisture content was observed; the greater the moisture loss, the greater the sample shrinkage.

Hydrogen Combustion: Features and Barriers to Its Exploitation in the Energy Transition

“…Fuels can be natural gas, LPG, diesel, paraffin, and other liquid fuels up to temperatures of 1800 °C. In the case of hydrogen, the great challenge concerns the moisture content of the combustion gases, since the ultimate goal of ceramic production is to remove moisture [114].…”

The Effect of Air Relative Humidity on the Drying Process of Sanitary Ware at Low Temperature: An Experimental Study

“…The pulp thus obtained, known as barbotine, is sieved and pumped to the casting sector, where sanitary parts are cast into plaster or resin molds [5]. After being molded, the pieces go through the steps of drying at low temperatures (below 40 • C), drying at high temperatures (above 50 • C), glazing, and firing before being stored and delivered to the customer [9].…”