Investigation of Macrosegregation Formation in Aluminium DC Casting for Different Alloy Systems

Direct chill (DC) casting of aluminum involves alloys employing different solute elements. In this article, a qualitative analysis and comparison of macrosegregation formation is presented for three different alloy systems: Al-Mg, Al-Zn and Al-Cu. For this purpose, a multiphase, multiscale solidification model based on a volume-averaging method accounting for shrinkage-induced flow, thermal-solutal convection and grain motion is used and applied to an industrial-scale DC-cast ingot. The primary difference between these alloys is the thermal-solutal convection with Al-Mg having a competing thermal and solutal convection, whereas the other two systems have a cooperating thermal and solutal convection. In the study, the combined effect of the macrosegregation mechanisms is analyzed for each alloy to assess the role of the alloy system on the final macrosegregation.