Effects of vertical electromagnetic stirring on grain refinement and macrosegregation control of bearing steel billet in continuous casting

The grain refinement and macrosegregation control of GCr15 bearing steel were investigated under a type of rarely-used electromagnetic stirring, vertical electromagnetic stirring (V-EMS), in continuous casting. V-EMS can create an upward electromagnetic force and generate longitudinal loop convection, which ena-bles the better mixing of the upper part with the lower part of the liquid steel.The results showed that ap-plying V-EMS can enlarge the region of the equiaxed grain, decrease the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) and reduce the segregation of both carbon and sulfur.After applying V-EMS, liquid steel with a high solute concentration is brought to the dendrite tips, making the dendrite arms partially melt.The length of the dendrite fragment is approximately 1.8 mm, 10 to 12 times the SDAS.Upon increasing the amount of cooling water from 2.0 to 3.5 m3/h, the dendrite fragments exhibit an obvious aggregation fol-lowing V-EMS.Finally, a criterion for dendrite fragmentation under V-EMS was derived based on the dendrite fragmentation theory of Campanella et al.     

连铸坯微观及宏观偏析数学模型的研究进展

对连铸坯微观和宏观偏析模型及树枝晶间液相流动的研究进展进行了评述，采用近平衡凝固过程溶质再分配理论并结合连铸传热数学模型对连铸坯微观及宏观偏析的定量解析方法进行了分析。     

电磁场对C3604铜合金水平连铸坯宏观偏析和挤压产品性能的影响

本文研究了C3604铜合金在有无电磁场下水平连铸铸坯横截面宏观偏析和加工性能。试验结果表明,在C3604铜合金水平连铸的过程中施加电磁场能有效抑制合金元素Pb的宏观偏析,并且切削性能和挤压产品的强度均得到提高。     

Influence of convection and grain movement on globular equiaxed solidification

A two-phase volume averaging model was used to study convection and grain movement, and their influence on the globular equiaxed solidification. Both liquid and solid phases were treated as separate interpenetrating continua. The mass, momentum, species and enthalpy conservation equations for each phase and a grain transport equation were coupled. An ingot casting (Al-4 wt.% Cu) with near globular solidification morphology was simulated. Case studies with different modeling assumptions such as with and without grain movement, and with slip and non-slip boundary conditions for solid phase were presented and compared. Understanding of grain evolution and macrosegregation formation in globular equiaxed solidification was improved.     

Analysis and control of central cracks in the bloom continuous casting of microalloy 49MnVS3 steel

In order to control central cracks in continuous casting of microalloy 49MnVS3 steel, the formation mechanism of central cracks has been studied by analysing the element segregation, crack morphology, hot ductility, precipitates and centre macrosegregation. It was found that the centre macrosegregation of carbon and sulphur and the precipitation of (Mn, Fe)S in grain boundary at the later stage of solidification could decrease the solidus temperature and enlarge the high temperature brittle zone, meanwhile, the precipitations of MnS and Ti(C, N) in grain boundary could make cracks easier to propagate, both of which lead to the formation of central cracks. Based on the above analysis, the centre macrosegregation of carbon and sulphur and the inclusions including MnS and the total in the centre of bloom were decreased by using final electromagnetic stirring and machine soft reduction together, thus, the central cracks of bloom were controlled successfully.     

Detection of macrosegregation in a large metallic specimen using XRF

Abstract

The characterisation of macroscopic chemical segregation in engineering components over length scales of many metres can be an arduous task. This report investigates the implementation of a technique that is capable of mapping long range variations in the chemical composition of metal components, without the need for extensive sample preparation. The capability of the method is optimised for large production components in a setting where process parameters such as measurement time and minimal surface preparation are of importance. Hence, a readily available hand held X-ray fluorescence instrument and analysis software are used to map macrosegregation in a low alloy steel slab.     

Numerical study of macrosegregation formation of ingot cast in normal sand mold and water-cooled sand mold

Formation of macrosegregation of 5 t steel ingots cast in sand molds with and without water-cooled copper tube is simulated by solving macroscopic mass,momentum,species and energy conservation equations with the consideration of shrinkage formation.Predicted macrosegregation pattern of the ingots shows a fair agreement with the experimental data.Both calculations and experiments reveal that some positive segregation patches are formed at the bottom of ingot.With the water-cooled copper tube inserted in the ...     

Modeling of eutectic macrosegregation in centrifugal casting of thin walled ZA8 zinc alloy

The maximum segregation zone and microstructure formation during the solidification of thin walled ZA8 zinc–aluminum alloy produced by centrifugal casting are investigated. From the results obtained, it is seen that the maximum segregation zone of the eutectic through the part section corresponds to the zone of final solidification point. The concentration of eutectic through the section changes depending on the initial mold temperature, pouring temperature, and cooling rate. A high cooling rate reduces the rate of change in eutectic concentration across the section. The distance separating the maximum segregation zone from the inner and outer faces of the casting can be controlled by controlling the ratio between the speeds of the solidification fronts advancing from opposite sides. The microstructure obtained becomes finer as the cooling rate increases. The structure of eutectic changes according to the cooling rate, and may be granular or lamellar.     

Modeling equiaxed solidification with melt convection and grain sedimentation—II. Model verification

A modified equiaxed solidification model was introduced in Part I. In Part II, a binary Al–Cu alloy casting is simulated using the aforementioned model. Important phenomena accompanying equiaxed solidification considered include: nucleation, globular grain growth, globular-to-dendritic transition, subsequent dendritic growth, recalescence, convection and grain transport. The influence of these events on the formation of the final microstructure (grain size, inter- and extradendritic eutectic) and macrosegregation is also examined. The first verification qualitatively reproduces the features of the previous models. The simulation results are quantitatively compared with the experiments of Nielsen and co-workers [Nielsen Ø, Appolaire B, Combeau H, Mo A, Metall Mater Trans 2001;32A:2049], and a satisfactory agreement is obtained. The new features of the current model and the uncertainty regarding the model assumptions and parameters are studied and discussed. The parameter studies indicate that the grain morphological parameters and the determination of diffusion lengths in different phase regions are the most critical/sensitive factors influencing the quantitative results, and demand further study.     

EFFECT OF LOW-FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON THE AS-CASTING MICROSTRUCTURES AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF HDC 2024 ALUMINUM ALLOY

The influences of the low frequency electromagnetic field on the horizontal direct chill casting process were investigated experimentally. Ingots of 2024 aluminum alloy with a cross size of 40 mm× 200 mm were produced by the conventional horizontal chill casting process and low frequency electromagnetic horizontal chill casting processre- spectively. The as-cast structures and the mechanical property of the ingots were examined. The results showed that the low frequency electromagnetic field could sub- stantially refine the microstructures and pronouncedly reduce the macrosegregation in the horizontal direct chill casting process. Moreover, the surface quality of the ingot was prominently improved by the low frequency electromagnetic field. The fracture strength and elongation percentage of the ingot was increased with the low frequency electromagnetic field.