Numerical simulation of melt flow and temperature field during DC casting 2024 aluminium alloy under different casting conditions

Casting speed,casting temperature and secondary cooling water flow rate are the main process parameters affecting the DC casting process.These parameters significantly influence the flow and temperature fields during casting,which are crucial for the quality of the ingot and can determine the success or failure of the casting operation.Numerical simulation,with the advantages of low cost,rapid execution,and visualized results,is an important method to study and optimize the DC casting process.In the present work,a simulation model of DC casting 2024 aluminum alloy was established,and the reliability of the model was verified.Then,the influence of casting parameters on flow field and temperature field was studied in detail by numerical simulation method.Results show that with the increase of casting speed,the melt flow becomes faster,the depths of slurry zone and mushy zone increase,and the variation of slurry zone depth is greater than that of mushy zone.With an increase in casting temperature,the melt flow rate increases,the depth of the slurry zone becomes shallower,and the depth of the mushy zone experiences only minor changes.The simulation results further indicate that the increase of the flow rate of the secondary cooling water slightly reduces the depths of both slurry and mushy zone.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF MOLD TEMPERATURE FIELD IN CONTINUOUS CASTING OF STEEL

Mold is the heart of the continuous casting machine. Heat transfer and solidification in a water- cooled mold are the most important factors during the continuous casting of steel. For studying the temperature distribution of a mold wall, a simulated apparatus of mold was designed and experiments were performed by it. The measured results indicated that the mold wall temperature approaches the temperature of cooling-water. An equivalent thermal-conductivity coefficient was proposed and deduced on the basis of the conclusion of the experiments. This coefficient was applied to solve the heat transfer between the melt and cooling water, and to characterize the heat transfer capacity of the mold. By this equivalent thermal-conductivity coefficient, it is very easy and convenient to numerically simulate the solidification process of continuous casting. And the calculation results are in agreement with the experiments. The effects of custing speed and water flow rate on the mold temperature field were also discussed.

Numerical simulation of the temperature field of twin-roll thin strip continuous casting

In this study, the temperature field model of twin-roll thin strip continuous casting was developed, and the interface heat transfer coefficient between the air and the strip surface was computed by using the inverse method. The effects of the process parameters including the casting speed, liquid level height, pouring temperature and thickness of the thin strip on the outlet temperature of the rotating rolls and the surface temperature of the thin strip were analyzed.

Numerical simulation of the temperature fields of stainless steel with different roller parameters during twin-roll strip casting

The temperature field of stainless steel during twin-roll strip casting was simulated by experiment and a finite element （FE） model. By comparing the measured result with the simulated values, it is found that they fit close to each other, which indicates this FE model is effective. Based on this model, the effects of roll gap （t） and roll radius （R） on solidification were simulated. The simulated results give the relationship between t or R and the position of the freezing point. The larger the t is and the smaller the R is, the closer the position of the freezing point is to the exit.

Validation of the numerical simulation of fluid flow in the continuous casting tundish

The 3-dimensional fluid flow in a water model of the continuous casting tundish is simulated with the k-ε two-equation turbulence model. The methods to decide the size of wall-adjacent grids and the effects of residuals and mesh size on the simulation accuracy are discussed. The current investigation concludes that the following condition should be satisfied to get accurate enough simulation results: (1) If the dimension of the domain is in the order of cubic meters, the average size of cells in the mesh system should be at least smaller than 30 mm; (2) The normalized non-scaled residual should be reached at least smaller than 10-4.

Flow and Temperature Fields in Slab Continuous Casting Molds

In order to develop super-board and super-thick slabs, the flow and temperatur fields were studied in slab continuous casting molds under different practical conditions, such as slab dimensions, with-drawing slab speed, design of nozzles, and superheat tempera-ture. The results showed that it is preferred to incline nozzle bores downwards and the submerged depth of the nozzles is best kept be-tween 250-300 mm. In addition, the solidified shell is thicker at the wide face than that at the narrow face, while the thin points alongthe wide face ekist both in the center and in the some area toward each respective end.

COMPUTER SIMULATION OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL TEMPERATURE FIELD FOR CASTING SOLIDIFICATION

Based on the mathematical model of Fourier Heat Conductivity Equations, this paper firstchooses an alternating-direction-implicit (ADI) type of finite difference method as the numericalcalculation method which is absolutely convergent and stable for time steps of any size when usedto calculate the temperature field. Then, the generalized programs are designed with FORTRANlanguage which can be used to calculate two-dimensional temperature field of casting solidificationof cast steel or cast iron for any shape. The calculated results about their solidification tendencyobtained from the above programs are found in good agreement with the experimental ones. Inaddition, we have measured the thermal properties of the furane resin sand which is the mouldingmaterial to make steel ingot moulds.

Numerical Simulation of Temperature Field of Die Casting Dies

In this study, the Solidworks was used as pre-processor, which performed the three- dimensional solid construction and automatic enmeshment. The COSMOS was adopted as post- processor to display the temperature distribution and further to simulate the thermal stress distribution of dies. A software package for three-dimensional temperature fields of complicated die casting and its dies was developed and the temperature distributions of a fan cover casting were simulated by the software.

Fluid Flow and Solidification Simulation in Beam Blank Continuous Casting Process With 3D Coupled Model

Based on turbulent theory, a 3D coupled model of fluid flow and solidification was built using finite difference method and used to study the influence of superheating degree and casting speed on fluid flow and solidification, analyze the interaction between shell and molten steel, and compare the temperature distribution under different technological conditions. The results indicate that high superheating degree can lengthen the liquid-core depth and make the crack and breakout possible, so suitable superheating should be controlled within 35℃ according to the simulation results. Casting speed which is one of the most important technological parameters of improving production rate, should be controlled between 0. 85 m/min and 1.05 m/min and the caster has great potential in the improvement of blank quality.

Nu m erical Sim ulation of Tem perature Field of Copper and Copper Alloy in Horizontal Continuous Casting

To investigate the temperature distribution and solidification shell profile in a continuous casting process for round bars, transient mathematical models have been developed to describe the thermal process. Then Finite Element Method (FEM) has been applied to simulate the solidification process. Parameters including casting speed, casting temperature and cooling conditions have been analyzed. It is shown that different parameters have different influence on the thermal process and must be carefully controlled in continuous casting process. Finally, the simulated results are compared with the experimental ones.

Effects of operating parameters on the flow field in slab continuous casting molds with narrow widths

Computational simulations and high-temperature measurements of velocities near the surface of a mold were carried out by using the rod deflection method to study the effects of various operating parameters on the flow field in slab continuous casting(CC)molds with narrow widths for the production of automobile exposed panels.Reasonable agreement between the calculated results and measured subsurface velocities of liquid steel was obtained under different operating parameters of the CC process.The simulation results reveal that the flow field in the horizontal plane located 50 mm from the meniscus can be used as the characteristic flow field to optimize the flow field of molten steel in the mold.Increases in casting speed can increase the subsurface velocity of molten steel and shift the position of the vortex core downward in the downward circulation zone.The flow field of liquid steel in a 1040 mm-wide slab CC mold can be improved by an Ar gas flow rate of 7 L·min^−1 and casting speed of 1.7 m·min^−1.Under the present experimental conditions,the double-roll flow pattern is generally stable at a submerged entry nozzle immersion depth of 170 mm.

INFLUENCE OF SOME FACTORS ON FLUID FLOW IN CONTINUOUS CASTING TUNDISHES

The influence of some factors on velocity field in continuous casting tundishes has been veri- fied by means of computer simulation.These factors are tundish wall inclination;the dimensionless geometric size of tundish,the double inclined wall tundish;the dimension and location of weir and dam.

THE TEMPERATURE ANALYSIS OF THE BILLET WITH PHASE CHANGE DURING CONTINUOUS CASTING

In this paper,the problem of 3-D steady heat conduction including the influenceof phase change on billets is turned into the 2-D transient problem by a suitable transformation technique. The effective specific heat has been employed to substitutefor the effect of the phase ceange.The computational formulation of finite element has been presented. And the careful disposal of the phase change region has also beengiven.

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.

THE COMPUTATION AND EXPERIMENT ANALYSIS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTINUOUS CASTING WITH SOFT-CONTACTED MOULD

In this paper, coupling the quasi-3D numerical simulation of electromagnetic field and the experiments of continuous casting with soft-contacted mould with some metals such as tin, aluminum, copper and steel, the electromagnetic characteristics of continuous casting with soft-contacted mould is analyzed. It is shown that the electromagnetic pressure on the surface of billet is increasing with the rising of power frequency as a logarithmically parabolic function, with that of electric conductivity of billet as a power junction, and with that of the current in inductor as a parabolic junction.

INVESTIGATION ON HOT DUCTILITY AND STRENGTH OF CONTINUOUS CASTING SLAB FOR AH32 STEEL

By means of Gleeble-1500 testing machine, the simulation of continuous casting process forAH32 steel was carried out and hot ductility and strength were determined. The cracking sensitivity was studied under the different temperatures and strain rates. The Precipitations of AIN at different temperatures and the fractures of high-temperature tensile samples were observed by using TEM （transmission electron microscope） and SEM （scanning electron microscope）. The factors affecting the brittle temperature zone were discussed.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF MOLTEN POOL AND CONTROL STRATEGY OF KISS POINT IN A TWIN-ROLL STRIP CASTING PROCESS

Coupled turbulent flow, temperature fields of the twin-roll casting strip process were simulated by three-dimensional finite element method. Based on the heat balance calculation and using inverse methods between the simulations and real experiments, the relational models among casting speed, location, and coefficient of heat transfer between molten metal and rolls in different regions are given. In the simulation, the calculated surface temperatures are in good agreement with the measured values. An on-line model of kiss point is derived by simulations and the geometry of molten pool, corresponding control strategy is also proposed.

Modeling and simulation of 3D thermal stresses of large-sized castings in solidification processes

When heavy machines and large scaled receiver system of communication equipment are manufactured, it always needs to produce large-sized steel castings, aluminum castings and etc. Some defects of hot cracking by thermal stress often appear during solidification process as these castings are produced, which results in failure of castings. Therefore predicting the effects of technological parameters for production of castings on the thermal stress during solidification process becomes an important means. In this paper, the mathematical models have been established and numerical calculation of temperature fields by using finite difference method (FDM) and then thermal stress fields by using finite element method (FEM) during solidification process of castings have been carried out. The technological parameters of production have been optimized by the results of calculation and the defects of hot cracking have been eliminated. Modeling and simulation of 3D thermal stress during solidification processes of large-sized castings provided a scientific basis, which promoted further development of advanced manufacturing technique.

Technical parameters in electromagnetic continuous casting of aluminum alloy

The temperature field of aluminum ingot during electromagnetic continuous casting was calculated by the numerical method, and the effects of cooling water strength, position of the cooling water holes and pouring temperature as well as induction heat on casting speed, were studied. The results show that among the technical parameters the distance from the position of the cooling water holes to the bottom of the mold is the most important factor, whose change from 20 mm to 15 mm and from 15 mm to 10 mm causes the setting rate increasing respectively by 0.14 mm/s and 0.3 mm/s.The calculated results also agree with the experiment well. The simulation program can be used to determine technical parameters of electromagnetic casting of aluminum ingot effectively.

Application of 3-D numerical simulation software SRIFCAST to produce ductile iron castings

Based on a method using numerical simulation equations and their solution schemes for liquid metal flows andheat transfer during mold filling and the solidification process of casting, 3-D numerical simulation software SRIFCAST wascreated. This includes enmeshment of casting; velocity and temperature fields calculation; displaying iso-temperature lines;velocity vectors and 3-D temperature fields on a Windows 9x operating system. SRIFCAST was applied to produce soundcastings of automobile and diesel engines, and also to connect with microstructure simulation for ductile iron castings.