Fluid flow through a solid-liquid dendritic interface

Fluid flow through a dendritic solid-liquid interfacial zone, during solidification, has been observed in a series of Sn-Pb alloys. It was found that liquid penetrates only a short distance into the zone, relative to the total thickness of the zone. The amount of solid present at the point of maximum penetration varies from 12 to 22 pct, and depends on the alloy concentration. Flow due to volume shrinkage, thermal convection, or solute convection well inside the zone, was not detected. Fluid flow through a wire mesh model of a thin section of the solid-liquid dendritic zone was examined. The results are not in agreement with that predicted for flow through a porous barrier, which had been found applicable to interdendritic fluid flow. Formerly Graduate Student, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada