Performance of liquid phenol-formaldehyde resin in a laboratory scale spinning-disc atomizer blender for oriented strand board

The effects of three operating parameters (atomizer speed, drum speed, and liquid phenol formaldehyde (LPF) feed rate) of a laboratory scale spinning-disc resin atomizer blender on resin efficiency and board quality were investigated. This study is divided into two phases; Phase 1 used liquid face and powder core PF resins while Phase 2 used powder face and liquid core PF resins. Only liquid PF resins were used to optimize the blender at each phase. Board properties evaluated include thickness swelling, water absorption, dry and wet internal bond, dry and wet modulus of rupture and dry modulus of elasticity. Response Surface Methodology was used in the experimental design and significant response surface models were established for individual panel properties. It was found that LPF feed rate was the most significant factor affecting panel properties for all experiments in both phases. Optimized conditions were also established for both phases.