SOLIDIFICATION MODELING

The modelling of solidification of a metal/alloy in a mold cavity is i ncreasingly becoming popular with numerous attempts being made to unde rstand the phenomena that occur at the level of the casting (macro lev el) and that which occur at the microscopic level (micro level). In th is paper, an attempt has been made to describe the phenomena oocurring at both the macro and the micro levels.At the macro level, the effect of fluid flow on various thermal and solidification parameters has be en studied. The results were compared with simulations carried out con sidering conduction alone and with experimental results. The relative importance of including fluid flow on solidification simulation of a c asting has been brought out. At the micro level an algorithm based on the macro-micro model to take the melt superheat into account while nu merically predicting the grain size and dendritic arm spacing at diffe rent locations of an Al-7%. Si alloy sand casting has been developed. The results are compared with the experimental values.