Quantitative phase-field modeling of solidification at high Lewis number

A phase-field model of nonisothermal solidification in dilute binary alloys is used to study the variation of growth velocity, dendrite tip radius, and radius selection parameter as a function of Lewis number at fixed undercooling. By the application of advanced numerical techniques, we have been able to extend the analysis to Lewis numbers of order 10 000, which are realistic for metals. A large variation in the radius selection parameter is found as the Lewis number is increased from 1 to 10 000.