Numerical Determination of the Rate of Solidification in Centrifugal Casting

Abstract

In centrifugal casting, it is very difficult to determine the temperature distribution and solidification rate by experimental techniques. Sequel to this, accurate data on solidification rate during centrifugal casting of different materials is not available. Therefore, the need to determine numerically the solidification rate in centrifugal casting. The Finite Element Method was used to discretize and analyze the solidification thickness. The result obtained shows that at time t=0, the thickness was 0 cm since none of the liquid metal solidifies at the time of pouring the molten metal into the mold. At about 10 sec from when the molten metal was poured into the mold, the solidified thickness of the cast was about 0.5 cm. At about 68 sec from when the molten metal was poured into the mold, molten metal was completely solidified. The total solidification time obtained in this research is 68 secs. This is still within the limit of foundry practice which is between 60 secs to 120 secs. This shows that the result obtained from this research is in agreement with the result obtained from finite difference method.

Keywords

• Centrifugal casting
• Solidification rate
• Heat transfer
• Finite Element Method
• Solidification thickness

Supporting Institution

University of Benin

Project Number

Nil

Thanks

Prof. J. A. Akpobi, Department of Production Engineering, University of Benin

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