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Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A: Applications
An International Journal of Computation and Methodology
Volume 70, 2016 - Issue 9
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Original Articles

Macrosegregation modeling during direct-chill casting of aluminum alloy 7050

, &
Pages 939-963 | Received 30 Mar 2016, Accepted 23 Jun 2016, Published online: 22 Sep 2016
 

ABSTRACT

A fully transient model of the direct-chill casting process is used to predict the macrosegregation development of aluminum alloy 7050. The ingot diameter, casting speed, superheat, secondary cooling, and thickness of pure Al at startup are varied. Predicted radial composition distributions are fit to Weibull probability density functions at each axial location, and the normalized standard deviation describes the macrosegregation level and the time when the process reaches steady state. The sump depth, steady-state height, and macrosegregation level were most affected by changes in casting speed and ingot diameter. The pure Al dilutes the alloy and delays compositional steady state.

Nomenclature

a=

Coefficients of conservation equations

B=

Buoyancy force

C=

Composition

c=

Specific heat

D=

Mass diffusion coefficient

d=

Free-floating particle size

F=

Fluid volume fraction

f=

Phase mass fraction

g=

Phase volume fraction

=

Gravity

H=

Enthalpy

h=

Heat transfer coefficient

K=

Permeability

k=

Thermal conductivity

kp=

Partition coefficient

Lf=

Latent heat

Lh=

Vertical thickness of rigid mushy zone

M=

Macrosegregation number

ml=

Slope of liquidus

ms=

Slope of solidus

P=

Pressure

Q=

Volumetric water flow rate

q”=

Heat flux

S=

Source term

SD=

Sump depth

T=

Temperature

t=

Time

u=

Axial velocity component

=

Volume

=

Velocity vector

Vc=

Casting speed

v=

Radial velocity component

W=

Normalized Weibull deviation

Z=

Ingot axial height

α=

Weibull shape parameter

βS=

Solutal expansion

βT=

Thermal expansion

Γ=

Gamma function

ε=

Function relating temperature to liquid fraction

λ2=

Secondary dendrite arm spacing

μ=

Viscosity

ρ=

Density

φ=

Ingot diameter

Ψ=

Stream function

ω=

Weibull scale parameter

Subscripts=
=

Ambient temperature

boil=

Boiling water temperature

cv=

Control volume

H20=

Cooling water temperature

IB=

Incipient boiling criteria

in=

Incoming/inlet

l=

Liquid

m=

Melting temperature

nb=

Neighboring control volumes

p=

Control volume of interest

s=

Solid

s,crit=

Critical solid fraction

ss=

Steady state

wall=

Wall temperature

Superscripts=
1=

Fluid one

2=

Fluid two

i=

Alloying element of interest

n=

Iteration level

o=

Previous time step

Nomenclature

a=

Coefficients of conservation equations

B=

Buoyancy force

C=

Composition

c=

Specific heat

D=

Mass diffusion coefficient

d=

Free-floating particle size

F=

Fluid volume fraction

f=

Phase mass fraction

g=

Phase volume fraction

=

Gravity

H=

Enthalpy

h=

Heat transfer coefficient

K=

Permeability

k=

Thermal conductivity

kp=

Partition coefficient

Lf=

Latent heat

Lh=

Vertical thickness of rigid mushy zone

M=

Macrosegregation number

ml=

Slope of liquidus

ms=

Slope of solidus

P=

Pressure

Q=

Volumetric water flow rate

q”=

Heat flux

S=

Source term

SD=

Sump depth

T=

Temperature

t=

Time

u=

Axial velocity component

=

Volume

=

Velocity vector

Vc=

Casting speed

v=

Radial velocity component

W=

Normalized Weibull deviation

Z=

Ingot axial height

α=

Weibull shape parameter

βS=

Solutal expansion

βT=

Thermal expansion

Γ=

Gamma function

ε=

Function relating temperature to liquid fraction

λ2=

Secondary dendrite arm spacing

μ=

Viscosity

ρ=

Density

φ=

Ingot diameter

Ψ=

Stream function

ω=

Weibull scale parameter

Subscripts=
=

Ambient temperature

boil=

Boiling water temperature

cv=

Control volume

H20=

Cooling water temperature

IB=

Incipient boiling criteria

in=

Incoming/inlet

l=

Liquid

m=

Melting temperature

nb=

Neighboring control volumes

p=

Control volume of interest

s=

Solid

s,crit=

Critical solid fraction

ss=

Steady state

wall=

Wall temperature

Superscripts=
1=

Fluid one

2=

Fluid two

i=

Alloying element of interest

n=

Iteration level

o=

Previous time step

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work for K. Fezi and M. J. M. Krane was from Shandong Nanshan Aluminum Co., Beijing Nanshan Institute of Aeronautical Materials, and for A. Plotkowski was from Purdue’s School of Materials Engineering.

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