Direct Simulation of a Solidification Benchmark Experiment

Tommy Carozzani (1) , Charles-André Gandin (1) , Hugues Digonnet (1) , Michel Bellet (1) , Kader Zaidat (2) , Yves Fautrelle (2)

1 CEMEF - Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux
2 SIMaP - Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés

A solidification benchmark experiment is simulated using a three-dimensional cellular automaton-finite element solidification model. The experiment consists of a rectangular cavity containing a Sn-3 wt pct Pb alloy. The alloy is first melted and then solidified in the cavity. A dense array of thermocouples permits monitoring of temperatures in the cavity and in the heat exchangers surrounding the cavity. After solidification, the grain structure is revealed by metallography. X-ray radiography and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry are also conducted to access a distribution map of Pb, or macrosegregation map. The solidification model consists of solutions for heat, solute mass, and momentum conservations using the finite element method. It is coupled with a description of the development of grain structure using the cellular automaton method. A careful and direct comparison with experimental results is possible thanks to boundary conditions deduced from the temperature measurements, as well as a careful choice of the values of the material properties for simulation. Results show that the temperature maps and the macrosegregation map can only be approached with a three-dimensional simulation that includes the description of the grain structure.

Mots clés: Simulation; Solidification Benchmark

Domaines: Sciences de l'ingénieur [physics]; Matériaux

Tommy Carozzani, Charles-André Gandin, Hugues Digonnet, Michel Bellet, Kader Zaidat, et al.. Direct Simulation of a Solidification Benchmark Experiment. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2013, 44 (2), pp.873-887. ⟨10.1007/s11661-012-1465-1⟩. ⟨hal-00747567⟩