Thermal data processing to characterise quasi-unidirectional solidification of cast aluminium alloy AA 354

Abstract

In this work the authors show how to build a semi-industrial scale macrothermal analysis experimental apparatus for low pressure aluminium casting AA 354 with quasi-unidirectional solidification. Several thermocouples were connected to a multichannel electronic device allowing a sampling rate up to 10 Hz; the thermocouples were installed in the mould at different locations to acquire the discontinuous cooling curves at those same locations.

With this type of experiment and appropriate mathematical procedures it was possible to build a reasonable response surface T?=?f(x, t) and the respective derivatives: ?T/?t and ?T/?x. Exponential polynomials were applied for modelling the curves and linear interpolation to relate the several cooling curves. Mathematical tools applied to the modelled curves allowed the authors to identify different solidification events and correlate them with the specific thermal gradient, cooling conditions and solidification fronts phenomena such as columnar to equiaxed transition of α aluminium grains. Growth velocity of proeutectic aluminium α and eutectic fronts were also determined.     

Einflu? von Ethanol auf den Trocknungsverlauf und die Makrostruktur eines Einzel-Zellmaterials aus Apfelparenchym (Sorte Granny Smith)

Ethanol pre-treated apple parenchyma cells are dried in a laboratory vacuum dryer. Various ethanol contents (75 to 95% m/m) and moisture contents (2 to 15 g ethanol-water-mixture per g dry mass) of the cells were adjusted before drying and the influence of these factors on drying behaviour as well as the related structural changes are studied. The initial ethanol content was found to have a significant influence on both, drying behaviour and macrostructure of the dried material. In the case of a low initial value, the ethanol content during drying already drops at moisture contents of about 0.5–1.5 g/g. As a consequence the residual particle moisture consists mainly of water at the end of drying. In contrast to high initial ethanol contents, cells at a low initial ethanol content become strongly deformed on drying. The porosity of the dried material also decreases in the latter case, relatively large and stable aggregates are formed and the water binding capacity of the dried product has diminished on a large scale. The initial moisture content influences the drying behaviour especially on applying low initial ethanol contents. If the initial moisture content is reduced the drop of the ethanol content is shifted towards the end of the drying process. The influence of initial moisture content on macrostructure, however, was found to be small compared with the effect of the initial ethanol content.

     

Macro- and microstructure analysis of SSM A356 produced by electromagnetic stirring

The objective of this work is to present the relationship between macro- and microstructure of the rheocast alloy A356 obtained by electromagnetic stirring. There is a direct relationship between grain size (macrostructure) and globule size/shape factor (microstructure): the smaller the grain size, the smaller are the globule size and shape factor. The A356 alloy was processed in a simple device, which constitutes a semi-continuous casting system, coupled with a power source. The A356 (Al–7.0 wt.%Si) alloy was electromagnetically stirred under different cooling rates (controlled by the casting speed of 1 and 3 cm/s) and different power levels (600–1200 W). Ingots with 45 mm of diameter and 3 kg with very refined and homogeneous rheocast structures were obtained. The direct relationship between macro- and microstructures of the ingots were exploited. A quality index is proposed to better characterise the rheocast structure.     

连铸圆管坯的质量及其控制(上)

目前我国尚无连铸圆管坯的国家标准或行业标准,各企业只执行自行制订的技术条件。根据试验和理论分析,建议在连铸圆管坯技术条件中增加有关表层细晶区、柱状晶区和等轴晶区厚度比例及芯部状态等内容,并提出了相应的控制方法;鉴于连铸圆管坯质量的重要性,建议尽快制订国家标准。     

脉冲电流对Al及Al-5.3%Zn合金宏观组织的影响

研究脉冲电流作用下凝固的纯Al及Al-5.3%Zn合金的宏观组织变化.实验表明:脉冲电流能够对纯Al及Al-5.3%Zn合金中晶粒的形状和尺寸产生比较显著的影响.与未施加脉冲电流相比,晶粒得到细化、等轴化.脉冲电流作用下剧烈的强迫对流促进晶粒从型壁上游离,增加金属熔体的形核率,晶粒得到细化.     

低频电磁铸造对7050铝合金羽毛晶组织缺陷的影响

常规DC铸造7050铝合金铸锭常常含有羽毛晶组织缺陷.采用低频电磁铸造技术,半连续铸造制备了直径为200 mm的7050铝合金锭坯,考察了电磁场对羽毛晶组织缺陷的影响.结果表明,在低频电磁场作用下,半连续铸造组织得到显著细化,为均匀细小的球形和多边形等轴晶组织,有效抑制了羽毛晶组织缺陷的产生.     

履带钢低倍缺陷原因浅析

针对履带钢成品低倍试验后存在肉眼可见的贯穿“裂纹”缺陷进行分析,发现缺陷是由大量夹杂物经酸洗腐蚀后形成的易腐蚀线;结合履带板轧制孔型设计基本原理,计算出该缺陷在未轧制前位于连铸坯心部位置,推断该缺陷是由连铸坯心部缩孔引起;针对连铸坯心部缩孔提出纠正预防措施。     

Growth direction and Si alloying affecting directionally solidified structures of Al–Cu–Si alloys

The roles of growth direction and Si content on the columnar/equiaxed transition and on dendritic spacings of Al–Cu–Si alloys still remain as an open field to be studied. In the present investigation, Al–6 wt-%Cu–4 wt-%Si and Al–6 wt-%Cu alloys were directionally solidified upwards and horizontally under transient heat flow conditions. The experimental results include tip growth rate and cooling rates, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectrometry and dendrite arm spacings. It was found that silicon alloying contributes to significant refinement of primary/secondary dendritic spacings for the upward configuration as compared with corresponding results of the horizontal growth. Experimental growth laws are proposed, and the effects of the presence/absence of solutal convection in both growth directions are discussed.     

Numerical simulation of the macrostructure evolution of a heavy steel ingot

The macroscopic grain structure of a 234 t steel ingot was simulated by using cellular automaton and finite element method provided by ProCAST. The growing speed coefficient of Kurz–Giovanola–Trivedi model was modified to reflect the growing process of grains. Chilled fine grains, columnar grains and coarse equiaxed grains were obtained from surface to core of the ingot, which were roughly in agreement with the measured ones. The influences of the nucleation and growth parameters were investigated. It was found that the relationship between nucleation and growth determines the macrostructure profile. An index, the ratio of growing speed over the nucleated sites at certain undercooling was proposed to estimate the macrostructure tendency.