CRYSTALLIZATION OF ALUMINUM-ALLOYS IN THE PRESENCE OF VERTICAL ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE-FIELDS

The influence of vertical and steady electromagnetic force fields appl ied during the solidification of representative aluminum alloys was in vestigated. The experiments were performed both in the absence and in the presence of electromagnetic body force fields, oriented either upw ard or downward, and for various degrees of heat extraction rate. Seve ral physical mechanisms of magnetohydrodynamic origin, acting on the m acro- and microstructure of these alloys, have been revealed. It has b een established that the stirring and liquid-solid-phase separation ph enomena results in a decided grain refinement and, under certain condi tions, in the segregation of the most part of the eutectic phase from the primary solid.