Solidification modeling of a spiral casting to determine material fluidity
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Caterpillar, Inc., Peoria, IL (United States)
In casting, fluidity is the measure of the distance a metal can flow in a channel before being stopped by solidification. During mold filling, the metal loses heat to the surrounding mold, thereby cooling and becoming more viscous until the leading portion solidifies and no further flow is possible. A coupled heat-transfer and fluid-flow modeling of a spiral, involving the use of thermophysical properties to determine material fluidity, has been conducted. Fluidity experiments were performed by Caterpillar; several spiral test castings were poured. Simulations of these experiments utilized the Casting Process Simulator (CAPS) software developed at Argonne National Laboratory. Two types of two dimensional spiral geometries with different assumptions were considered: (1) a 2-D laterally stretched spiral and (2) a 3-D lateral spiral. Computed mold filling is in good agreement with experiment. Time required by metal/gas interface to attain specific positions in the spiral arm also compares favorably with the experiment. Influence of process variables, especially pour time, is discussed. CAPS software was used to investigate validity of dimensionality assumptions and to evaluate ability of CAPS to model fluidity adequately.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 10192426
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/ET/CP-79010; CONF-931009-7; ON: DE94002212
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Fall meeting of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society: physical metallurgy and materials,Pittsburgh, PA (United States),17-21 Oct 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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