This document discusses a case study investigating the compatibility of different resin mixtures used in glass wool production. Laboratory experiments were conducted using Design of Experiments methodology to understand chemical and physical interactions when resins are mixed, including precipitation, pH changes, and color changes over time. The results determined limits on alternative resin percentages that can be safely recirculated into the standard phenol resin process water. As a result of the study, factories that had halted production due to precipitate blockages were able to resume operations using the determined mixing schedules and limits.
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Compatibilitynewsletter
1. CASE
STUDY
Compatibility
of
A
and
B
Resins
This
document
does
not
explicit
or
disclose
confidential
information.
gureser@gmail.com
+90
531
490
5127
The
compatibility
of
different
resins
were
investigated
using
Design
of
experiments
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Objective
For years, in glass wool factories PF
resin has been utilized to prepare
aqueous binder solution to bond
fibers together, due to its excellent
performance/cost ratio especially
when extended with urea. In my
former company, it had started the
production with a different free-FA
resin. Therefore, in factories, in the
course of plenty of months it had not
been surprising to encounter different
binder resins.
As some of process experts and
quality responsible in factories, which
mixes different types of resins
process waters without consultancy,
had some precipitation concern that
might grow and create serious
problems. Some of the sites has
already hold on production facilities
due to blockages of precipitate and
waiting for solution to be created.
As I heard the concerns regarding
resins, I was offered this exciting and
big project having both theoretical,
lab work and practical site operation,
which will have a big positive impact
on production. I started investigating
this mixture had an impact on
process water, which is the recycle
water flow utilized in order to re-gain
recycled resin, calm down the
temperature of the process at
particular points. Although, it is
possible to produce glass wool with
different binder separately, it is
difficult to avoid mixing of process
water due to process designs. The
objectives of this project are to
understand the chemical and physical
compatibility of different process
water’s of alternative resins focusing
on interactions leading to formation of
precipitation or phase split, pH
change, color change etc. and issue
a recommendation on % alternative
resins process water that can be re-
circulated into phenol process water.
In addition to this, production trials
and examines about pH stabilization
are represented.
Understand the chemical and
physical phenomena and the
compatibility of mixtures of current
process water and process water of
alternative resins.
i.e. Interactions leading to formation
of solid or phase split, pH changes,
etc.
Issue a recommendation on
percentage of alternative resins that
can be re-circulated into phenol
process water.
Work Done
All the experiments have been
performed in internal R&D
Laboratory.
pH, conductivity, viscosity,
precipitation, split phase, color
change has been observed to
detect interactions.
Tests have been performed along
time to check evolution.
In the project, several experiments
have been done to understand
compatibility of alternative resins and
current resin.
Experiments were both done by real
and laboratory synthetic samples to
observe the delta between them. All
the experiment is created using
design of experiment (DOE) tool of
lean six sigma. The root cause was
found after the experiment. The
mixture plot were drawn and visually
explained. You might see the ternary
plot drawn in the project.
In data management, the given data
like pH, conductivity, viscosity and
other specs of the mixed elements
were written in columns, and the
outcome observation such as split
phase, compatibility, color change
and time of observation were
recorded for each mixture.
The dark green area at the top
illustrates the only area that factories
might operate in. The detailed
decision was made after seeing one
to one comparison graphs.
Conclusion
The speed and amount of formation
was figured out depending on pH,
time, solid content, density, reactivity
and temperature. Then limits of alkali
extra feed up was determined.
Thanks to this project, the factories
that hold the production operations on
started operating having a
determined schedule for different
product groups.
The problem was solved and all sites
were informed and project report is
distributed to all sites and production
planning responsible and process
engineers trained for chemical natural
limitations of planning. After this, two
projects were created to add extra
alkali for planning flexibility and
minimize corrosion due to alkali.
Thanks to the project, marketing
department forecasted the production
capacity.
1
Gokhan Gureser
is production process and quality
development professional, chemical
engineer experienced in lean six sigma
black belt, process excellence,
pharmaceutical operations, chemicals
characterization, 5S, DOE, Kaizen,
Statistical Process Control, Balanced
score card, FMEA, Cause and Effect,
Hypothesis testing and QFD with
experience of leading cross-
departmental international projects
across Europe.