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Arc Distribution During the Vacuum Arc Remelting of Ti-6Al-4V

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Abstract

Currently, the temporal distribution of electric arcs across the ingot during vacuum arc remelting (VAR) is not a known or monitored process parameter. Previous studies indicate that the distribution of arcs can be neither diffuse nor axisymmetric about the center of the furnace. Correct accounting for the heat flux, electric current flux, and mass flux into the ingot is critical to achieving realistic solidification models of the VAR process. The National Energy Technology Laboratory has developed an arc position measurement system capable of locating arcs and determining the arc distribution within an industrial VAR furnace. The system is based on noninvasive magnetic field measurements and a VAR specific form of the Biot–Savart law. The system was installed on a coaxial industrial VAR furnace at ATI Albany Operations in Albany, OR. This article reports on the different arc distributions observed during production of Ti-6Al-4V. It is shown that several characteristic arc distribution modes can develop. This behavior is not apparent in the existing signals used to control the furnace, indicating the measurement system is providing new information. It is also shown that the different arc distribution modes observed may impact local solidification times, particularly at the side wall.

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Acknowledgments

A portion of this work was supported through a cooperated research and development agreement between the Specialty Metals Processing Consortium and the United States Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory. The authors acknowledge the help from the personnel at ATI Albany Operations. Thanks to Steve Henrickson for assistance in interfacing with the existing instrumentation, and Mike Whaley for providing and reducing internally acquired data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Energy Technology Laboratory, Albany, OR, 97321-2152, USA

    C. Rigel Woodside (General Engineer) & Paul E. King (Business and Outreach Manager)

  2. ATI Albany Operations, Albany, OR, 97322-3828, USA

    Chris Nordlund (Quality Assurance and Technology Manager)

Authors
  1. C. Rigel Woodside
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  2. Paul E. King
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  3. Chris Nordlund
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Rigel Woodside.

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Manuscript submitted January 12, 2011.

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Woodside, C.R., King, P.E. & Nordlund, C. Arc Distribution During the Vacuum Arc Remelting of Ti-6Al-4V. Metall Mater Trans B 44, 154–165 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-012-9760-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-012-9760-1

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