Analysis of a microgravity solidification experiment for Columnar to Equiaxed Transitions with modeling results

Shaun McFadden, David J. Browne, Laszlo Sturz, Gerhard Zimmermann

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper studies the Columnar to Equiaxed Transition (CET) in an Al-7wt%Si binary alloy with and without Al-Ti-B grain refiner. A microgravity experiment was designed to produce a CET in this alloy system. The experiment was flown onboard the MAXUS-7 sounding rocket platform, which achieved twelve minutes of microgravity. Examples of CET were successfully produced during the unmanned flight. Temperature data were recorded from thermocouples in the crucible walls of the furnace. Post-mortem material characterization of the grain structure was also performed. Subsequently a model of the furnace, which used a front-tracking model of solidification and an inverse heat calculation method, was developed. In this paper, results from the model are compared to the experimental findings; agreement is found with the CET predictions. The results from the model are then used to compare findings with the CET criterion of Hunt from the literature. Agreement is found between the model predictions and the Hunt criterion.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSolidification and Gravity V
Pages361-366
Number of pages6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 18 Aug 2010
Event5th International Conference on Solidification and Gravity - Miskolc-Lillafured, Hungary
Duration: 4 Sept 20085 Sept 2008

Publication series

NameMaterials Science Forum
Volume649
ISSN (Print)0255-5476

Conference

Conference5th International Conference on Solidification and Gravity
Country/TerritoryHungary
CityMiskolc-Lillafured
Period4/09/085/09/08

Keywords

  • Columnar Equiaxed Transition
  • Solidification modeling

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