Heat transfer characteristics of lost foam casting process of magnesium alloy

1 Introduction The growing demand for mass reduction in aerospace and automotive industries has greatly increased the magnesium application. Currently, casting is the main industrial forming method for magnesium alloys, but the lag of research and develop…     

Correlative thermal methodology for castability simulation of ductile iron in ADI production

The present paper investigates the simulation analysis of simultaneous mold filling and solidification of ductile iron casting in a permanent mold by virtue of its thermal characteristics. Thermal analysis was performed to determine the solidification behavior and nature of alloy of the melt during its solidification. It revealed the variation in the nature of alloy due to the variations in eutectic freezing and carbon equivalent of the melt. The obtained thermal parameters from the thermal analysis were further used for the casting simulation of the melt. The simulation results show a progressive solidification behavior of the casting. There is a significant decrease in the overall heat transfer coefficient with time during the solidification process. The simulation results were further verified experimentally. The experimental results show porosity defects at the top section of the casting. Two distinct zones (center and outer) were observed on the produced samples based on the average graphite nodule counts and average graphite nodule size.     

Heat transfer during quenching of modified and unmodified gravity die-cast A357 cylindrical bars

Heat transfer during quenching of chill-cast modified and unmodified A357 Al-Si alloy was examined using a computer-aided cooling curve analysis. Water at 60 °C and a vegetable oil (palm oil) were used as quench media. The measured temperatures inside cylindrical probes of the A357 alloy were used as inputs in an inverse heat-conduction model to estimate heat flux transients at the probe/quenchant interface and the surface temperature of the probe in contact with the quench medium. It was observed that modified alloy probes yielded higher cooling rates and heat flux transients. The investigation clearly showed that the heat transfer during quenching depends on the casting history. The increase in the cooling rate and peak heat flux was attributed to the increase in the thermal conductivity of the material on modification melt treatment owing to the change in silicon morphology. Fine and fibrous silicon particles in modified A357 probes increase the conductance of the probe resulting in higher heat transfer rates. This was confirmed by measuring the electrical conductivity of modified samples, which were found to be higher than those of unmodified samples. The ultrasound velocity in the probes decreased on modification.     

Casting/mold thermal contact heat transfer during solidification of Al-Cu-Si alloy (LM 21) plates in thick and thin molds

Heat flow at the casting/mold interface was assessed and studied during solidification of Al-Cu-Si (LM 21) alloy in preheated cast iron molds of two different thicknesses, coated with graphite and alumina based dressings. The casting and the mold were instrumented with thermocouples connected to a computer controlled temperature data acquisition system. The thermal history at nodal locations in the mold and casting obtained during experimentation was used to estimate the heat flux by solving the one-dimensional inverse heat conduction problem. The cooling rate and solidification time were measured using the computer-aided cooling curve analysis data. The estimated heat flux transients showed a peak due to the formation of a stable solid shell, which has a higher thermal conductivity compared with the liquid metal in contact with the mold wall prior to the occurrence of the peak. The high values of heat flux transients obtained with thin molds were attributed to mold distortion due to thermal stresses. For thin molds, assumption of Newtonian heating yielded reliable interfacial heat transfer coefficients as compared with one-dimensional inverse modeling. The time of occurrence of peak heat flux increased with a decrease in the mold wall thickness and increase in the casting thickness.     

Effect of cooling rate on air gap formation in aluminium alloy permanent mould casting

Abstract

Displacements of the casting surface and the mould surface at the casting/mould interface were experimentally measured during the solidification of aluminium alloys in a permanent mould. Temperatures of the casting and mould surfaces at this interface were also recorded and correlated with displacement measurements. Four different commercial Al–Si alloys were investigated at varying cooling rates. These results are compared with available data on the effect of cooling rate on solid fraction evolution and consequently strength development during solidification. The temperature of the casting surface at the moment of air gap initiation was found to decrease with increasing cooling rate, although this relationship was confirmed at the 95% confidence level for only one of the alloys, AC601, for which sufficient data points were available. The solid fraction at the casting surface at gap initiation in this alloy is shown not to change with cooling rate. In all hypoeutectic alloys, the gap formed before the solid fraction at the casting surface reached 1·0 at slow cooling rates. For the near eutectic alloy BA401 it occurred at almost 1·0. Casting surface contraction rates following gap formation are also presented both as a function of time and casting surface temperature. It is shown that contractions predicted using the linear thermal expansion coefficient provide a reasonable approximation.     

基于Matlab的板坯连铸凝固传热过程及热损失研究

基于Matlab数值计算,对板坯连铸凝固传热问题进行研究,得到随板坯厚度及其与结晶器弯月面距离变化的板坯温度场分布,通过拟合得到板坯凝固点末端位置与二冷总供水流量、过热温度和拉坯速度的关系式,分析二冷区水量分配比对结晶器和二冷区内单位长度板坯热损失率和板坯表面温度梯度的影响。结果表明：板坯温度随冷却阶段的不同其温度变化趋势显著不同;随着过热温度和拉坯速度的增大、二冷总供水流量的减小,板坯凝固点末端位置增大;拉坯速度对板坯凝固点末端位置的影响最为显著,其次是二冷总供水流量,过热温度对其影响较小。通过适当调整二冷区内水量分配比可实现降低板坯表面温度梯度和较少热损失率的折衷,从而在提高板坯质量的同时也提高其蓄能,以实现板坯连铸过程的节能。所得结果能对板坯连铸凝固过程的参数设计和动态运行提供依据和理论指导。     

Casting/mould interfacial heat transfer during solidification in graphite,steel and graphite lined steel moulds

Heat flow between the casting and the mould during solidification of three commercially pure metals, in graphite, steel and graphite lined steel moulds, was assessed using an inverse modelling technique. The analysis yielded the interfacial heat flux (q), heat transfer coefficient (h) and the surface temperatures of the casting and the mould during solidification of the casting. The peak heat flux was incorporated as a dimensionless number and modeled as a function of the thermal diffusivities of the casting and the mould materials. Heat flux transients were normalised with respect to the peak heat flux and modeled as a function of time. The heat flux model proposed was used to estimate the heat flux transients during solidification in graphite lined copper composite moulds.     

Enhanced cooling for solidification of aluminium alloys in permanent moulds using advanced heat pipe solutions

Abstract

In order to obtain sound cast components with good properties, a number of measures must be taken to make parts defect free. It is well recognised by the casting industry that it is essential to control cooling rates of permanent mould castings in order to speed up solidification and control the solidification pattern. Each of the traditional controlled cooling techniques (air or water cooling passages and chill inserts) presents certain disadvantages and none offers optimum thermal management. A new cooling method for permanent moulds is proposed. This new technique is based on heat pipe technology that was developed specifically for the cooling of permanent moulds in the casting of light metals where high heat fluxes are normally encountered. The influence of the conductivity of mould coatings on casting solidification and dendrite arm spacing with heat pipe cooling was investigated. Typical experimental results are also presented.     

An alternative approach in ceramic shell investment casting of AZ91D magnesium alloy: In situ melting technique

In this research, the possibility of ceramic shell investment casting of a magnesium alloy using in situ melting technique was explored. AZ91D granules were charged into shell investment mould and in situ melted under various processing parameters including heating temperature, flux application, shell mould thickness and permeability. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to characterise the cast samples. Thermal analysis was employed to further investigate the effect of mould thickness on the solidification behaviour of the metal. It was found that mixing flux with the granules not only reduced the temperature at which melting can be achieved, but it also contributed to produce castings with acceptable surface quality. The use of thinner mould provided higher solidification rate, which is believed to favour in situ melting of the granules. It enabled melting of the granules at 650 °C, which in turn helped to suppress the mould–metal reaction and produce castings with good surface quality. Shell mould permeability showed no influence on suppressing the mould–metal reaction at 650 °C.     

圆坯连铸结晶器传热的反算法

基于圆坯连铸结晶器实测温度数据,建立了结晶器传热反问题数学模型,通过确定结晶器和铸坯之间局部热阻大小及其分布,计算出结晶器热流场和坯壳厚度,且分析了结晶器热流分布特征和铸坯凝固状态,并比较两者之间的关系．计算结果准确地反映了实际生产过程中沿结晶器周向非均匀传热特征,为将数值模拟技术应用于连铸凝固过程监控和“可视化结晶器”技术提供了可借鉴的实用方法.     

Effect of superheat,mold, and casting materials on the metal/mold interfacial heat transfer during solidification in graphite-lined permanent molds

Heat transfer during the solidification of an Al-Cu-Si alloy (LM4) and commercial pure tin in single steel, graphite, and graphite-lined metallic (composite) molds was investigated. Experiments were carried out at three different superheats. In the case of composite molds, the effect of the thickness of the graphite lining and the outer wall on heat transfer was studied. Temperatures at known locations inside the mold and casting were used to solve the Fourier heat conduction equation inversely to yield the casting/mold interfacial heat flux transients. Increased melt superheats and higher thermal conductivity of the mold material led to an increase in the peak heat flux at the metal/mold interface. Factorial experiments indicated that the mold material had a significant effect on the peak heat flux at the 5% level of significance. The ratio of graphite lining to outer steel wall and superheat had a significant effect on the peak heat flux in significance range varying between 5 and 25%. A heat flux model was proposed to estimate the maximum heat flux transients at different superheat levels of 25 to 75 °C for any metal/mold combinations having a thermal diffusivity ratio (α _R) varying between 0.25 and 6.96. The heat flow models could be used to estimate interfacial heat flux transients from the thermophysical properties of the mold and cast materials and the melt superheat. Metallographic analysis indicated finer microstructures for castings poured at increased melt superheats and cast in high-thermal diffusivity molds.     

铝合金凝固过程中传热系数的数值求解及二次枝晶间距预测

以A357合金为研究对象,利用反运算,即试验温度曲线与模拟冷却曲线有限元对比耦合的方法,计算了在空冷和水冷条件下铸件/铸型间传热系数与冷却时间的关系,获得了精确的边界条件。在此基础上,对合金凝固过程中的冷却行为以及二次枝晶间距的分布进行模拟,并与试验结果进行对比。结果表明二者相符合。     

Microstructural evolution during upward and downward transient directional solidification of hypomonotectic and monotectic Al–Bi alloys

Upward directional unsteady-state solidification experiments were performed with both a hypomonotectic Al–2.0 wt% Bi alloy and a monotectic Al–3.2 wt% Bi alloy. Besides, the monotectic composition (3.2 wt% Bi) was directionally solidified under downward transient heat flow conditions, which enables the effects of melt convection on the final microstructure to be evaluated since the collective downward movement of Bi-rich particles is favored in such case. This is due to the density differences between the two coexisting liquid phases. The thermal parameters such as cooling rate, growth rate and thermal gradient were experimentally determined by data collected from cooling curves recorded along the casting length. The monotectic features observed in the Al–3.2 wt% Bi alloy castings, i.e. the interphase spacing and Bi-rich particles diameter were correlated with the growth rate and thermal gradient. The cell spacing was experimentally determined for the Al–2.0 wt% Bi alloy as a function of both the cooling rate and tip growth rate. These experimental data were compared with the main predictive cellular growth models from the literature. A comparison between upward and downward unsteady-state solidification results for the interphase spacing and Bi-rich particles diameter has also been conducted.     

连铸凝固传热过程的数值模拟

研究和开发了连铸凝固传热过程数值模拟程序,并以生产厂的铸坯为研究对象,计算了铸坯断面温度分布和凝固壳厚度,该模型考虑了结晶器表面散热的不均匀性,处理了凝固时相变所产生的结晶潜热,将计算出的断面温度、坯壳厚度等数据与生产实验测得的数据相比较,吻合性很好.他可用来优化连铸工艺参数,是进一步开发在线控制模型的基础.     

Sensitivity study of IHTC on solidification simulation for automotive casting

Abstract

Interface heat transfer coefficient values between the mould/metal interfaces need to be precisely determined in order to accurately predict the thermal histories at different locations in automotive castings. Thermo-mechanical simulations are carried out for Al–Si alloy casting processes using a commercial code. The simulation results are verified with experimental data from the literature. Sensitivity studies show that the choice of the initial value of the interface heat transfer coefficient (IHTC) between chill/metal as well as the sand mould/metal interfaces has a marked effect on the cooling curves. In addition, having chosen an initial value of the IHTC, the analyses also show differences in the solidification rate of the casting alloy near the sand/metal and chill/metal interfaces, upon further cooling. The gap formation, which results in a change in IHTC from the initial value, does not affect the cooling curves in the vicinity of the sand/metal interface due to lower thermal conductivity of sand. However it is found to have a considerable effect in the chill/metal interfacial regions due to higher thermal conductivity of the chill. Based on these studies we recommend initial IHTC values of 3000 and 7000 W m^–2 K^–1 for sand/metal and chill (steel)/metal interfaces respectively, for application in casting simulations.     

冷却曲线识别与亚共晶Al-Si合金熔体状态测评

研究了B，Sr含量以及保温时间对Al-7Si合金熔体冷却曲线与凝固组织的影响。利用数字化测温技术、模式识别技术和数字图像分析技术分别进行了冷却曲线和凝固组织的测量与比较，基于大量试验结果积累的数据库，实现了Al-7Si合金熔体组织细化及变质效果的测评。研究结果显示，随着表征曲线相似程度的综合偏差值趋近于0，相应的晶粒尺寸及变质级别差值均向0收敛。冷却曲线的整体形状可以表征包括熔体细化及变质效果在内的Al-Si合金熔体状态。     

The effect of Sr modification on thermal diffusivity of Al–8Si alloy

Newtonian and Fourier analysis techniques were used to calculate the solid fraction and latent heat during the solidification of Al–8Si alloy and the subsequent results were used to study the effect of Sr modification on thermal diffusivity of the solidifying melt. The results indicate that the thermal diffusivity increased significantly with increase in Sr content. The increase in the thermal diffusivity was attributed to the increase in the electronic conduction of the modified alloy due to the decreased activity of the bifilm. The results also indicate that the latent heat evolved during solidification increased with increase in Sr concentration and was associated with the increase in the solidification range that occurred during the modification process.     

低压铸造铝合金轮毂铸型壁厚与铸件壁厚的关系

依据数学理论和低压铸造原理,提出模具壁厚和铸件壁厚存在着δt/h=3λ/2cλw的比例关系时,液态金属流过铸型表面才能达到最大的温度梯度。低压铸造铝合金轮毂热节处δt/h=1.8～2.2时,有利于轮辋的补缩和热节处的凝固。通过实际生产和有限元模拟分析对铸型壁厚与铸件壁厚的上述关系进行了验证。     

Finite-element analysis of a vertical twin-roll casting

Metallic strips can be produced by twin-roll casting, in which the melt is cooled, solidified, and rolled to a specific thickness. In the present study, the rigid-thermoviscoplastic finite-element method was applied to the analysis of complex phenomena including melt flow, heat transfer, solidification, and plastic deformation occurring in a vertical twin-roll casting of magnesium alloy AZ31. The melt was found to be confined in rotational motions of two symmetric vortexes developed at the roll entrance, and thus only the melt near the nozzle wall became solidified and rolled to a sheet. As the nozzle thickness increased, the vortex increased in size resulting in more bifurcation and instability, which are definitely adverse to material properties of the strip. The maximum cooling rate of 600 °C/s was found at the centerline as solidification took place at the roll exit. Other findings are also discussed including roll force, roll torque, and pressure distribution, which were greatly dependent upon the plastic deformation after solidification.     

Evaluation of melt quality of lead free copper alloy castings using cooling curve

Abstract

The melt quality of bronze castings such as JIS CAC406 has successfully checked by observing a fractured surface of specially designed test sample on the melting spot. Lead free copper alloy castings, however, are not successfully applied by this method because the fractured surface does not show a characteristic feature or colour. In this study, the cooling curve method cast into shell cup mould was applied to evaluate and establish melt quality. Melts, under various kind of atmosphere such as over oxidised, hydrogen absorbed, flux covered, adequately deoxidised and so on, were evaluated to check the cooling curve in a cup. Owing to the melting atmosphere, liquidus temperature and solidification behaviour showed a distinct difference. Another application of cooling curve method was carried out to deoxidising process in industrially clean melt. Phosphorus content necessary for and also during deoxidising process was well determined.