Examination of a Method for Estimating Solid Fraction at Flow Cessation from Flow Velocity of Mushy Formation Molten Alloys

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to experimentally estimate the solid fraction at which the cessation of the flow of a molten Al–7%Si–0.3%Mg alloy and Cu–8%Sn alloy occurs in casting. The flow cessation mechanism of two alloys is known as the “mushy” formation type, which means that the flow ceases when the solid fraction at the molten metal tip reaches a certain critical value. Therefore, the flow velocity at the molten metal tip is assumed to decrease gradually. Thus, a new method for calculating the solid fraction at flow cessation based on computer simulations was examined using experimental measurements of the flow velocity and flow length. The result of the experiment shows the experimental flow length is consistent with the simulation results, the calculated solid fraction at flow cessation. The flow velocity gradually decreased from the initial stage, but there was a region where the velocity was almost constant after the initial stage. The molten metal temperature became lower from the root side to the tip side, and the solid fraction at the time of flow cessation was calculated from the measurement results, for the Al–7%Si–0.3%Mg alloy it was 0.35–0.4 near the tip, and for the Cu–8%Sn alloy it was 0.25. Computer simulations were performed by tuning the heat transfer coefficient so that the flow length and flow velocity would match the experimental results. Computer simulations were performed by tuning the heat transfer coefficients so that the flow length and flow velocity would match the experimental results and could simulate the changes in flow velocity obtained from the experiments. The solid fraction at the tip of the molten metal was almost the same as the experimental results. These results show that it is possible to estimate the solid fraction at the flow cessation from the flow velocity at the tip.