Electromagnetically-driven convection during solidification: velocity field and impact on the microstructure of Pb-Sn ingots

The application of time varying magnetic fields can be considered as an effective tool to organize a well-defined flow structure in the liquid phase affecting the nucleation and solidification parameters. Main goal of our activities is to elucidate a strategy to control the microstructure of castings by an optimal combination of magnetic field intensity, field frequency and cooling rate. The development of fine, globular grains is preferred. Structures containing textured columnar grains and zones of macrosegregation should be avoided.
Solidification experiments as well as numerical simulations were carried out dealing with Pb Sn alloys solidified directionally from a water cooled copper chill. A rotating magnetic field (RMF) was chosen for melt agitation, because the essential features of an RMF-driven flow have already been intensively investigated for the isothermal case. The magnitude of the bulk flow in the melt generated by the RMF varies with the magnetic Taylor number Ta. The forced convection causes distinct modifications of the temperature and concentration field such as a reduction of the temperature gradient ahead of the solidification front. Without electromagnetic stirring the alloy solidifies solely in form of dendrites aligned parallel to the heat flow direction. In contrast, a transition from a columnar to an equiaxed growth (CET) is observed if the solidifying ingot is exposed to an RMF. The position of the CET is shifted towards the bottom of the casting by increasing the Ta number. The CET was found to occur for a cooling rate of about 0.4 K/s and temperature gradients in the range between 0.6 and 1.0 K/mm
The ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV) was applied to measure the bulk flow during solidification. Our results show that the velocity profiles undergo distinct modifications during solidification indicating the occurrence of more sophisticated flow patterns as known from the isothermal case. Furthermore, the UDV data allow an assessment of the current position of the columnar solidification front.