Abstract
The two-phase zone continuous casting (TZCC) technique was used to continuously cast high-strength aluminum alloy hollow billets, and a verified 3D model of TZCC was used to simulate the flow and temperature fields at casting speeds of 2–6 mm·min−1. Hollow billets under the same conditions were prepared, and their macro/microstructures were analyzed by an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope. During the TZCC process, a circular fluid flow appears in front of the mushy zone, and the induction heated stepped mold and convective heat transfer result in a curved solidification front with depressed region near the inner wall and a vertical temperature gradient. The deflection of the solidification front decreases and the average cooling rate in the mushy zone increases with increasing casting speed. Experimental results for a 2D12 alloy show that hot tearing periodically appears in the hollow billet accompanied by macrosegregation near the inner wall at casting speeds of 2 and 4 mm·min−1, while macroscopic defects of hot tearing and macrosegregation weaken and the average size of columnar crystals in the hollow billets decreases with further increasing casting speed. 2D12 aluminum alloy hollow billets with no macroscopic defects, the finest columnar crystals, and excellent mechanical properties were prepared by TZCC at a casting speed of 6 mm·min−1, which is beneficial for the further plastic forming process.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Liu N, Jie J C, Lu Y P, et al. Characteristics of clad aluminum hollow billet prepared by horizontal continuous casting. J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2014, 214(1): 60–66.
Liu X, Xu J X, Zhao F, et al. Effect of homogenization on second phases and mechanical properties of AA 5052 aluminum alloy tube billets fabricated by HCCM vertical continuous casting. J. Alloy. Compd., 2022, 901: 163645.
Li H, Wei D, Zhang H Q, et al. Texture evolution and controlling of high-strength titanium alloy tube in cold pilgering for properties tailoring. J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2020, 279: 116520.
Zhang Z, Liu D, Zhang R Q, et al. Experimental and numerical analysis of rotary tube piercing process for producing thick-walled tubes of nickel-base superalloy. J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2020, 279: 116557.
Hussain S, Cui C S, He L, et al. Effect of hot gas atomization on spray forming of steel tubes using a close-coupled atomizer (CCA). J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2020, 282: 116677.
Fu H G, Xiao Q, Xing J D. A study of segregation mechanism in centrifugal cast high speed steel rolls. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2008, 479(1–2): 253–260.
Yan G J, Xu Y, Jiang B L. The production of high-density hollow cast-iron bars by vertically continuous casting. J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2012, 212(1): 15–18.
Du Q, Eskin D G, Katgerman L. Modeling macrosegregation during direct-chill casting of multicomponent aluminum alloys. Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2007, 38(1): 180–189.
Guan R, Ji C, Wu C H, et al. Numerical modelling of fluid flow and macrosegregation in a continuous casting slab with asymmetrical bulging and mechanical reduction. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2019, 141: 503–516.
Ohno M, Sato H. Macrosegregation simulation model based on Lattice-Boltzmann method with high computational efficiency. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2018, 127B: 561–570.
Luo H J, Jie W Q, Gao Z M, et al. Numerical simulation for macrosegregation in direct-chill casting of 2024 aluminum alloy with an extended continuum mixture model. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 2018, 28(5): 1007–1015.
Paramatmuni R K, Chang K M, Kang B S, et al. Evaluation of cracking resistance of DC casting high strength aluminum ingots. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2004, 379(1–2): 293–301.
Bai Q L, Liu J C, Li H X, et al. A modified hot tearing criterion for direct chill casting of aluminium alloys. Mater. Sci. Tech., 2016, 32(8): 846–854.
Mathier V, Vernède S, Jarry P, et al. Two-phase modeling of hot tearing in aluminum alloys: Applications of a semicoupled method. Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2009, 40: 943.
Suyitno, Savran V I, Katgerman L, et al. Effects of alloy composition and casting speed on structure formation and hot tearing during direct-chill casting of Al-Cu alloys. Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2004, 35: 3551–3561.
Liu X F, Luo J H, Wang X C, et al. Casting device and method with solid-liquid phase area temperature as mold temperature. China Patent No. WO2011127785, 2011-10-20.
Yang Y H, Liu X F, Wang S Q. Thermal characteristics of induction heating with stepped diameter mold during two-phase zone continuous casting high-strength aluminum alloys. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2020, 152: 119479.
Lu L L, Zhang S M, Xu J, et al. Numerical study of titanium melting by high frequency inductive heating. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2017, 108B: 2021–2028.
Liu W W, Feng Y F, Sun J N, et al. Analysis of the thermal-mechanical problem in the process of flexible roll profile electromagnetic control. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2018, 120: 447–457.
Liu X F, Liao W N, Yang Y H. Thermal characteristics and uniformity of microstructures during temperature controlled mold continuous casting profiled copper alloy strip. Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer, 2020, 110: 104414.
Ghoncheh M H, Shabestari S G. Effect of cooling rate on the dendrite coherency point during solidification of Al2024 alloy. Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2015, 464: 1287–1299.
Seredyński M, Banaszek J. Coupled enthalpy-porosity and front tracking approach to modeling chemical inhomogeneity in solidifying metal alloys. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 2021, 173: 121221.
Shabestari S G, Ghoncheh M H, Momeni H. Evaluation of formation of intermetallic compounds in Al2024 alloy using thermal analysis technique. Thermochim. Acta, 2014, 589: 174–182.
Djurdjevic M B, Huber G. Determination of rigidity point/temperature using thermal analysis method and mechanical technique. J. Alloy. Compd., 2014, 590: 500–506.
Nadella R, Eskin D G, Du Q, et al. Macrosegregation in direct-chill casting of aluminium alloys. Prog. Mater. Sci., 2008, 53(3): 421–480.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1703131, No. 51674027, No. 51974027 and No. 52004028), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2019A1515111126) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (FRF-TP-18-005C1 and FRF-TP-18-041A1).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Xue-feng Liu Born in 1970, Professor. Mainly engaged in the research of new technology and theory of high performance and difficult-to-machine metal materials in short process with high efficiency. He is the authored or coauthored of nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal papers, and authorizes more than 100 invention patents.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, Yh., Liu, Xf. & Chen, Wz. High-strength aluminum alloys hollow billet prepared by two-phase zone continuous casting. China Foundry 19, 253–262 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41230-022-1036-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41230-022-1036-z
Keywords
- two-phase zone continuous casting
- high-strength aluminum alloy
- hollow billet
- fluid flow
- heat transfer
- columnar crystals