Physic Simulation of Slurry Preparation by Ultrasonic Vibration in Semisolid Metal Processing

Abstract

In current research, a series of visualization experiments simulating the action of ultrasonic vibration (UV) in metal slurry preparation process on fluid flow, grain nucleation and growth as well as its interaction with viscosity of fluids were conducted. In these visualization experiments, the metal slurry maker was substituted by a transparent cup while the liquid and semisolid slurry of metal were replaced by other fluids or mixture system with similar characteristics. Scaled-up UV was applied to the liquid or mixture systems. The simulation shows that UV can roll up the particles at the bottom of the cup and make the liquid convection intense below the radiating surface of sonotrode while weak above it. UV can break dendrites rapidly and distribute them in melt. High viscosity reduces the actual power transmitted into liquid, and higher viscosity requires higher inception power of UV.