Numerical simulation of DC casting of AZ31 magnesium slab at different casting speeds

A mathematical model of the direct chill(DC)casting process for AZ31magnesium slab has been developed to predict the temperature evolution in the slab.The temperature fields at different casting speeds were compared and the optimum casting speed of 300 mm×800 mm magnesium slab in the certain pouring temperature and cooling-water flow rate was obtained.The casting speed during the plant trial was consistent with the calculation.

Coupled Modeling of Electromagnetic Fleld,Fluid Flow,Heat Transfer and Solidification During Conventional DC Casting and Low Ftequency Electrmagnetic Casting of 7xxx Aluminum Alloys

A comprehensive mathematical model has been developed to describe the interaction of the multiple physics fields during the conventional DC casting and LFEC (low frequency electromagnetic casting) process. The model is based on a combination of the commercial finite element package ANSYS and the commercial finite volume package FLUENT, with the former for the calculation of the electromagnetic field and the latter for the calculation of the magnetic driven fluid flow, heat transfer and solidification. Moreover, the model has been verified against the temperature measurements obtained from two 7XXX aluminum alloy billets of 200mm diameter, cast during the conventional DC casting and the LFEC casting processes. In addition, a measurement of the sump shape of the billets were carried out by using addition melting metal of Al-30%Cu alloy into the billets during casting process. There was a good agreement between the calculated results and the measured results. Further, comparison of the calculated results during the LFEC process with that during the conventional DC casting process indicated that velocity patterns, temperature profiles and the sump depth are strongly modified by the application of a low frequency electromagnetic field during the DC casting.

Effect of electromagnetic parameters on melt flow and heat transfer of AZ80 Mg alloy during differential phase electromagnetic DC casting based on numerical simulation

Based on multi-physical field coupling numerical simulation method,magnetic field distribution,melt flow,and heat transfer behavior of aΦ300 mm AZ80 alloy billet during differential phase electromagnetic DC casting(DP-EMC)with different electromagnetic parameters were studied.The results demonstrate that the increase in current intensity only changes the magnitude but does not change the Lorentz force's distribution characteristics.The maximum value of the Lorentz force increases linearly followed by an increase in current intensity.As the frequency increases,the Lorentz force's r component remains constant,and the z component decreases slightly.The change in current intensity correlates with the melt oscillation and convection intensity positively,as well as the liquid sump temperature uniformity.It does not mean that the higher the electric current,the better the metallurgical quality of the billet.A lower frequency is beneficial to generate a more significant melt flow and velocity fluctuation,which is helpful to create a more uniform temperature field.Appropriate DP-EMC parameters for aΦ300 mm AZ80 Mg alloy are 10-20 Hz frequency and 80-100 A current intensity.

Grain refinement and macrosegregation behavior of direct chill cast Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy under combined electromagnetic fields

The combined electromagnetic fields were achieved by the application of an alternating magnetic field and a stationary magnetic field and were used during direct chill(DC) casting process to control the microstructure and macrosegregation of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Ingot microstructures were analyzed under an optical microscope(Leica DMR). The composition at different locations in the ingots was measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP) method. The results showed that the grain structure is transformed from dendrite to equiaxed structure and significantly refined with the application of combined electromagnetic fields. The uniformity of microstructure is also greatly improved. The combined electromagnetic fields show a significant effect on the distribution of elements. The negative macrosegregation in the centre area of the ingot is obviously reduced.

LFEC and LFEVC of AZ80 magnesium alloy

The effects of a low frequency electromagnetic field and a low frequency electromagnetic vibration field applied during DC casting of AZ80 Mg on microstructures and alloying element distribution in ingots were investigated.The experiments were performed both in absence and in the presence of the magnetic fields.In DC casting,the ingot exhibited coarse microstructure and severe segregation of Al.In the presence of solo low frequency alternating magnetic field,namely LFEC,the grains of the ingot was effectively refined and the segregation of Al was significantly decreased.In LFEVC,namely low frequency electromagnetic vibration casting,the ingot were significantly refined and the segregation was suppressed.With increasing the vibration intensities,the grain refinement and segregation suppression were increased.

Hot-top direct chill casting assisted by a twin-cooling field:Improving the ingot quality of a large-size 2024 Al alloy

Microstructure inhomogeneity and negative segregation have long been challenges for large-size alloy ingots,directly affecting the downstream processing and final performance of products.Here,we used2024 aluminum alloy as a model alloy to propose a technique,named double-cooling field casting,i.e.,one 2024 Al alloy rod(Φ20 mm)at room temperature was introduced into the melt along the central axis of the hot-top with the protection of a thermal-insulation tube during the direct chill(DC)casting process of aΦ300 mm 2024 Al alloy ingot.The results show that the introduction of the same alloy solid insert has a remarkable influence on refining grains in the center region of the ingot,reducing negative centerline segregation and decreasing the depth of the center part of the sump.With the application of the 2024 Al insert,the mean size of equiaxed grains at the center part of the ingot decreased from1204±132μm to 721±69μm.The relative deviation of the Cu and Mg main solutes reduced from-0.062 and-0.054 to-0.03 and-0.024,respectively,and the sump depth decreased from 280 mm to242 mm.Moreover,the shape of the solidification front was changed from‘V’-shaped to‘W’-shaped.The ingot quality was thus improved,mainly arising from the dissolution of the cold 2024 Al insert at a proper position of the hot-top counteracting some latent heat of solidification of the ingot,dissipating the heat of the central part of the hot-top by conducting the 2024 Al insert to the outside,and providing extra-nuclei from the unmoltenα-Al particles of the insert.

Study on the Grain Refinement of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy Prepared by LFEC Process

Low frequency electromagnetic casting(LFEC)process has been developed for years with the application of an induction coil outside the conventional direct chill(DC)casting mould.It has been demonstrated that the LFEC process has a significant grain refining effect on aluminium alloys.However,how it refines the microstructure is still not clearly understood.In the present work,the temperature measurement were carried out to study the temperature field during casting and to understand the mechanism of the grain refining effect of the LFEC process.The results showed that in contrast to the conventional DC casting process,during the LFEC process,the liquid melt flowing from the launder into the mould is cooled with very high cooling rate directly to 3-6 ℃ below the liquidus and the temperature field of the entire melt in the mould and the hot top is quite uniform,which results in enhanced heterogeneous nucleation and improved survival rate of the nuclei.This is believed to be the main reason why the LFEC process can significantly refine the grain size of aluminium alloys.