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Experiment-3
1. Experiment Name: Determination of permeability number of green sand
2. Objective: To Prepare green sand specimen and to determine permeability number of
Green sand.
3. Apparatus Required: 1. Sand rammer, 2. Physical balance, 3. Weighing tray, 4. Trowel,
5. Permeability Tester
4. Theory:
Permeability is defined by the AFS as that physical property of moulded sand which allows gas
to pass through it. It is determined by measuring the rate of flow of air through the AFS standard
rammed specimen under a standard pressure.
The general formula for the calculation of permeability may be expressed as follows :-
v×h
P=
p×a×t
Where P = Permeability number
v = Volume of air in ml passing through the specimen
h = Height of test specimen in cm.
p = Pressure of air in cm of water.
a = Area of cross-section of specimen in cm2.
t = Time in seconds.
Since the standard method requires that 2000 ml of air should be forced through a specimen
2 inches (5.08 cm)1 and 2 inches diameter (20.268 cm2 area)1, by substituting these values for
v, h, and a, and measuring the time in seconds, the formula becomes :-
30072
P=
air pressure in cm of water × time in sec onds
To determine permeability it is, therefore, only necessary to measure accurately the time
taken for 2000 ml of air at a known pressure to pass through a standard test specimen.
For example, if p = 9.6 cm and t = 36 s
P = _______________30072____________________ = 87
9.6 x 36

1
(Please check with the operator in charge)
By means of this instrument a measured volume of air can be passed through a rammed
sand specimen and the permeability of the sand determined by recording the time taken for
the air at a measured pressure to pass through the specimen.
If pressure is measured in g/cm2 and time in minutes, than the above formula becomes:
501.28
P=
air pressure ( g / cm 2 ) × time in min
1
5. Procedure:
The apparatus is placed on a horizontal desk. The three-way valve is turned to "Open" to introduce water
so that the air chamber is floated to the mark "W". Then the valve is turned to "Measure" to introduce air
so that the air chamber is lowered to a position slightly below the "0" line, and then the valve is turned to
"Close" to stop air flow. An orifice, either the small one or the large one, depending on the sand grain
fineness, is screwed in the rubber stopper after inserting a rubber ring for preventing air leak. The test
sand is rammed using a sand rammer into a test piece cylinder of a standard shape, and the cylinder with
the sand is tightly pushed in the rubber stopper. The valve is turned to "Measure" to raise air pressure in
the sand cylinder. This causes a level difference in the water column. After reading off the pressure from
the water column, the valve is turned to "Close".
The pressure/permeability conversion Table gives the permeability value corresponding to the pressure
value thus measured.
6. Observations:

1
(Please check with the operator in charge)

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