Numerical study of crucial parameters in tilt casting for titanium aluminides

Numerical modeling of the tilt casting process for TiAI alloys was investigated to achieve a tranquil mould filling and TiAI castings free of defects. Titanium alloys are very reactive in molten state, so they are widely melted in cold crucible, e.g. the Induction Skull Melting （ISM） furnace. Then the crucible holding the molten metal together with the mould is rotated to transfer the metal into the mould -- ISM＋ tilt casting. This paper emphasizes the effect of crucial parameters on mould filling and solidification of the castings during tilt casting. All crucial parameters, such as rotation rate, rotation profile, venting, initial mould temperature, casting orientation, feeder design, change of radius in ＇T＇ junction and mould insulation have been discussed using numerical modeling data. Simulations were performed using a 3D CFD code PHYSICA implemented with front tracking, heat transfer algorithms and a turbulence model （which accounts for an advancing solid front）.