First analysis of a numerical benchmark for 2D columnar solidification of binary alloys

International audienceDuring the solidification of metal alloys, chemical heterogeneities at the product scale (macrosegregation) develop. Numerical simulation tools are beginning to appear in the industry, however their predictive capabilities are still limited. We present a numerical benchmark exercise treating the performance of models in the prediction of macrosegregation. In a first stage we defined a "minimal" (i.e. maximally simplified) solidification model, describing the coupling of the solidification of a binary alloy and of the transport phenomena (heat, solute transport and fluid flow) that lead to macrosegregation in a fully columnar ingot with a fixed solid phase. This model is solved by four different numerical codes, employing different numerical methods (FVM and FEM) and various solution schemes. We compare the predictions of the evolution of macrosegregation in a small (10×6 cm) ingot of Sn-10wt%Pb alloys. Further, we present the sensitivities concerning the prediction of instabilities leading to banded channel mesosegregations

Lévitation électromagnétique de gouttes – présentation du projet MAGLEV – premiers résultats

International audienceA good knowledge of the thermo physical properties of liquid metal alloys is of major importance for processing. For this purpose, an electromagnetic levitator may be used. This has been performed in the past by an ESA project called TEMPUS-Containerless Processing in Space. Results were obtained. Nevertheless, stirring motions in the molten drop generate instability problems, and lead to a deteriorated accuracy of the measure. The stirring motions will be studied in the framework of a future ESA project called “MAGLEV". The national french agency CNES is supporting the french part. Our participation is twofold. First, we look at the effect of the modulation of inducting currents on the oscillations of the free surface. The experimental set-up is presented as well as its original device devoted to the driving of the experiment and the diagnostic on a test experiment. Second, a numerical simulation of the device is done. Perspectives of modelling are developed

A numerical benchmark on the prediction of macrosegregation in binary alloys

International audienceDuring the solidification of metal alloys, chemical heterogeneities at the product scale (macrosegregation) develop. Numerical simulation tools are beginning to appear in the industry, however their predictive capabilities are still limited. We present a numerical benchmark exercise treating the performance of models in the prediction of macrosegregation. In a first stage we defined a "minimal" (i.e. maximally simplified) solidification model, describing the coupling of the solidification of a binary alloy and of the transport phenomena (heat, solute transport and fluid flow) that lead to macrosegregation in a fully columnar ingot with a fixed solid phase. This model is solved by four different numerical codes, employing different numerical methods (FVM and FEM) and various solution schemes. We compare the predictions of the evolution of macrosegregation in a small (10 x 6 cm) ingot of Sn-10wt%Pb alloys. Further, we present the sensitivities concerning the prediction of instabilities leading to banded channel mesosegregation

A numerical benchmark on the prediction of macrosegregation in binary alloys

International audienceDuring the solidification of metal alloys, chemical heterogeneities at the product scale (macrosegregation) develop. Numerical simulation tools are beginning to appear in the industry, however their predictive capabilities are still limited. We present a numerical benchmark exercise treating the performance of models in the prediction of macrosegregation. In a first stage we defined a "minimal" (i.e. maximally simplified) solidification model, describing the coupling of the solidification of a binary alloy and of the transport phenomena (heat, solute transport and fluid flow) that lead to macrosegregation in a fully columnar ingot with a fixed solid phase. This model is solved by four different numerical codes, employing different numerical methods (FVM and FEM) and various solution schemes. We compare the predictions of the evolution of macrosegregation in a small (10 x 6 cm) ingot of Sn-10wt%Pb alloys. Further, we present the sensitivities concerning the prediction of instabilities leading to banded channel mesosegregation

Analysis of a numerical benchmark for columnar solidification of binary alloys

International audienceDuring the solidification of metal alloys, chemical heterogeneities at the scale of the product develop. It is referred to as "macrosegregation". Numerical simulation tools exist in the industry. However, their predictive capabilities are not validated and are still limited. A 2D numerical benchmark is presented, based on the solidification of metallic Pb-Sn alloys. Concerning the numerical benchmark, a "minimal" common model of solidification is assumed, including columnar growth without undercooling, fixed solid, isotropic permeability of the mushy region, local thermodynamic equilibrium, lever-rule assumption for the local average composition. We focus our attention on the numerical method used to solve the average conservation equations: Finite Volume, Finite Element, Velocity-Pressure coupling treatment, scheme for convective terms, etc. At this stage of the work, we cannot exhibit a reference solution. However we draw some conclusions on the effects of the grid dependency, in particular on the location and sizes of the segregate channels. The development of both thermally and solutal driven convections in the first stage of the process (cf. low Prandtl and high Lewis numbers) and the relative independency of the convective scheme are also discussed. This presentation also have the goal to call other contributors to join this benchmark [1] in order to enrich the exercise and to reach a reference solution for this important problem in metallurgy