Investigations of fluid flow effects on dendritic solidification: Consequences on fragmentation, macrosegregation and the influence of electromagnetic stirring

Solidification experiments and numerical simulations have been performed to improve the understanding of the complex interrelation between melt flow and the formation of dendritic structures during solidification of Al-Cu and Ga-In alloys. Melt flow induces various effects on grain morphology primarily caused by convective transport of solute, such as a facilitation of the growth of primary trunks or lateral branches, dendrite remelting, fragmentation or freckle formation depending on the dendrite orientation, the flow direction and intensity. Within this project special interest was focused on fragmentation and segregation phenomena. Natural convection is caused by density variations within the solidifying alloys. Forced convection was produced by electromagnetic stirring. X-ray radioscopy was applied as a powerful tool for the visualization of dendritic growth and coarsening.