A COUPLED SOLIDIFICATION ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS AND COOLING ROLLER IN DIRECT ROLLING PROCESS

A computer program has been developed to analyze the two-dimensional u nsteady conservation equations for transport phenomena in the pool reg ion with semi-solid materials containing the cooling roll of direct ro lling (or twin-roll strip continuous casting). The solidification phen omena of the semi-solid metal are investigated considering phase trans formation. The energy equation of the cooling roll is solved simultane ously with the conservation equations of the semi-solid metal to consi der heat transfer through the cooling roll. The finite difference meth od and the finite element method are used in the analysis of the pool region and the cooling roll, respectively, to reduce computing time an d to improve the accuracy of calculation. The assumption of viscous fl ow and Darcy's flow are used for the calculation of the how and the te mperature fields of the semi-solid metal. In the present study, the in fluences of the solid fraction and the casting speed are investigated from the points of view of the possibility of fabrication and roll des ign. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.