INFLUENCE OF LIQUID METAL MOVEMENTS ON THE CASTING CREATION

Knowledge about complex physical phenomena used in the casting process simulation requires continuous complementary research and improvement in mathematical modeling. The basic mathematical model taking into account only thermal phenomena often becomes insufficient to analyze the process of metal solidification, therefore more complex models are formulated, which include coupled heat-flow phenomena, mechanical or shrinkage phenomena. However, such models significantly complicate and lengthen numerical simulations; therefore the work is limited only to the analysis of coupled thermal and flow phenomena. The mathematical description consists then of a system of Navier-Stokes differential equations, flow continuity and energy. The finite element method was used to numerically modeling this problem. In computer simulations, the impact of liquid metal movements on the alloy solidification process in the casting-riser system was assessed, which was the purpose of this work, and the locations of possible shrinkage defects were pointed out, trying to ensure the right supply conditions for the casting to be free from these defects.