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ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 3, March - 2013
2.38%Ni; 0.26%Si) alloy in rectangular metallic increasingly used as many key components [4]. This
moulds. Experiments were conducted to measure the has resulted in the demand for highest quality and
temperature fields in a solidifying casting against time. performance standards in producing these components
From the temperature fields solidification times were in the foundry. To meet the ever increasing demands
obtained for various moulds thicknesses as well as the and challenges of quality, standards, productivity and
mould temperatures. The results showed that mould faster return on investment, the aluminium casting
thickness has significant influence on the solidification industry has to adopt strategies and take advantage of
time. Smaller mould thickness produced shorter the technical advances in the field.
solidification time within the experimental Solidification of metals is the transformation of
specification. As the mould temperatures are increased molten metal back into solid state after pouring into the
the solidification time is prolonged and this influence mould [5]. Solidification differs depending on whether
grain development during the solidification process the metal is a pure element or an alloy. When molten
subsequently affecting the mechanical properties of the metal is poured into a mould, a series of events take
castings produced. place during solidification of the casting and its cooling
to ambient temperature. These events greatly influence
the size, shape, uniformity, and chemical composition
of the grains formed throughout the casting, which in
1. Introduction turn influences its overall properties [3]. The significant
factors affecting these events are the type of metal,
Aluminium is a very important and common metal
thermal properties of both the metal and the mould, the
on earth because of its low density and excellent
geometric relationship between volume and surface
mechanical properties. It is alloyed with elements like
area of casting, and the shape of the mould. The times
magnesium, silicon, copper, manganese, and zinc to
involved in this activity may be as short as seconds or
produce variety of wrought products from beverage
as long as hours depending upon the casting process
cans to aircraft structural parts, to cast products like
and the size of the casting, the chemical composition of
engine blocks and steering knuckles for automobiles [1,
the metal being cast, the manner in which solidification
2].
occurs, and the subsequent solid state treatment
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 3, March - 2013
determines the ultimate microstructure and therefore temperature range, the alloy is in mushy or pasty state
properties (mechanical and physical) of the casting [3]. and is characterized by a very complex solid-liquid
Solidification of castings in metallic moulds has microstructure that develops with time. The formation
been reported in literature relevant to not just of this region has a serious effect on the final
metallurgy but also fluid mechanics and heat and mass microstructure and quality of the product. Generally,
transfer. Various experiments have been performed to two dendritic structures are distinguished in the mushy
understand the mechanisms associated with zone: the columnar and the equiaxed dendrites. The
solidification. Through the years several methods have columnar mushy zone appears in the form of a dense
been used with the purpose of analyzing the crystalline-like matrix filled with inter-dendritic liquid
solidification of foundry pieces. At the beginning, having strong directional nature. In the equiaxed zone
analytic methods were used. Later, researchers turned the crystal grains are freely moving in the melt [10].
to the employment of numerical methods. Many Dendrites have three-dimensional arms and branches,
mathematical models have been developed to predict and the arms eventually interlock. The width of the
the phenomena of solidification through analytical or mushy zone, where both liquid and solid phases exist,
computational simulations. At the present time the is an important factor during solidification and depends
variety of methods used to simulate metal solidification on the mould material, cooling rate and the temperature
is numerous, depending on the type of the outlined gradient.
problem, the geometry, material types and thermal
properties. Manjhi [6]) applied the method of control
volume approximation to the simulation of the
Temperature
solidification and thermal treatment of steel ingots.
The solidification process can be represented using Pouring temperature
cooling curves showing a variation of temperature with Liquid cooling
respect to time [7] Cooling rates are important in Freezing begins
controlling the quality of a casting since by monitoring TL
Freezing
RRTT
the cooling rate and the thermal gradient solidification TS completed
shrinkage defects can be detected. The most important L+S
part of the cooling curve is the cooling rate which
solid
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 3, March - 2013
transfer between the liquid metal and the metallic Symbol Properties Values
mould and taken cognizance of the heat transfer
coefficient at the metal/mould interface as a result of Kst Thermal conductivity (W/mC) 78.2
the formation of air gap during solidification [11]. This Cst Specific heat capacity (J/kgC) 456
is given as: st Density (kg/m3) 7870
hst-air Heat transfer coefficient (J/sec m2 9.93
C)
+ ( )
= (1)
( )
2.2. Experimental Setup
Where, To is the initial temperature of the mould; Tm is To be able to study the temperature profiles in both
melting temperature of metal; Tp is the pouring the cast and the mould, K-type (Chromel/Alumel)
temperature of metal; L is the latent heat of fusion; h is thermocouples were placed at specified locations in
the interfacial heat transfer coefficient; M is the density both the mould and the metal as shown in the
of the metal; CM is the specific heat of the metal; VM is experimental setup in Figure 2 as follows:
the volume of metal; AM is the surface area of metal. AI1 - Centre of casting
Equation (1) can be expressed as Chvorinovs rule AI2 - Half cast thickness
thus [12]: AI3 - Metal - Mould interface
AI4 - Half mould thickness
AI5 - Mould-Air interface
= (2)
Thermocouple
Wires
RRTT
Where, Bs is a mould constant and is the modulus of
the casting.
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 3, March - 2013
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 3, March - 2013
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 3, March - 2013
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