Abstract
Vacuum induction melting (VIM) and electroslag remelting (ESR ) are techniques used to produce ingots of alloys with complex chemistries while lowering the amount of defects , inclusions or extent of elemental segregation. Those practices are widely employed in aerospace applications and more recently in fossil-fueled power plant components due to the increasingly demanding operating conditions. Consequently, research is ongoing to improve and control the melting of commercially available alloys for optimal performance in service. In this investigation, a laboratory-scale (200 mm–200 kg) ESR furnace was used to remelt various alloys with a focus on the ingot quality. Several approaches were considered to study and improve the melting characteristics. Targeted additions of minor elements in master alloys were found to improve the melt range which affected the melt pool volume and subsequently increased the remelting efficiency. Furthermore, the melt parameters during ESR of some select alloys were modified to improve the melting characteristics. Finally, the influence of the size of the ESR electrode was observed and provided a better understanding of the mixing mechanisms in the slag region and their effect on the voltage swing and melt rate . The results are presented using a combination of experimental and computational (thermodynamic and CFD-based) data.
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Acknowledgements
This technical effort was performed in support of the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s ongoing research in advanced alloy development and melt processing of covetic alloys under the RES contract DE-FE-0004000. The authors would like to thank Mr. Edward Argetsinger and Mr. Joseph Mendenhall for assistance in melting.
Disclaimer This project was funded by the Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, an agency of the United States Government, through a support contract with AECOM. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, nor AECOM, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.
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Detrois, M., Jablonski, P.D. (2018). Melt Parameters and Resulting Characteristics in Laboratory-Scale Electroslag Remelting. In: Ott, E., et al. Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Superalloy 718 & Derivatives: Energy, Aerospace, and Industrial Applications. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89480-5_17
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