Rayleigh-Benard convection during solidification of an eutectic solution cooled from the top

The interaction between laminar Rayleigh-Benard convection and directional solidification is studied for the case of an eutectic solution kept in a rectangular cavity cooled from the top. Experiments and numerical simulations are carried out using an NH4Cl-H2O solution as the model fluid. The flow is visualized using a sheet of laser light scattered by neutrally buoyant, hollow-glass spheres seeded in the fluid. The numerical modeling is performed using a pressure-based finite-volume method according to the SIMPLER algorithm. The present configuration enables us to visualize flow vortices in the presence of a continuously evolving solid/liquid interface. Clear visualization of the Rayleigh-Benard convective cells and their interaction with the solidification front are obtained. It is observed that the convective cells are characterized by zones of up-flow and down-flow, resulting in the development of a nonplanar interface. Because of the continuous advancement of the solid/liquid interface, the effective liquid height of the cavity keeps decreasing. Once the height of the fluid layer falls below a critical value, the convective cells become weaker and eventually die out, leading to the growth of a planar solidification front. Results of flow visualization and temperature measurement are compared with those from the numerical simulation, and a good agreement is found.

Grain Floatation During Equiaxed Solidification of an Al-Cu Alloy in a Side-Cooled Cavity: Part II-Numerical Studies

In this article, a single-phase, one-domain macroscopic model is developed for studying binary alloy solidification with moving equiaxed solid phase, along with the associated transport phenomena. In this model, issues such as thermosolutal convection, motion of solid phase relative to liquid and viscosity variations of the solid-liquid mixture with solid fraction in the mobile zone are taken into account. Using the model, the associated transport phenomena during solidification of Al-Cu alloys in a rectangular cavity are predicted. The results for temperature variation, segregation patterns, and eutectic fraction distribution are compared with data from in-house experiments. The model predictions compare well with the experimental results. To highlight the influence of solid phase movement on convection and final macrosegregation, the results of the current model are also compared with those obtained from the conventional solidification model with stationary solid phase. By including the independent movement of the solid phase into the fluid transport model, better predictions of macrosegregation, microstructure, and even shrinkage locations were obtained. Mechanical property prediction models based on microstructure will benefit from the improved accuracy of this model.

Cold model study of local liquid holdup in the dropping zone using x-ray

It is important to know and to quantify the liquid holdups both dynamic and static at local levels as it will lead to understand various blast furnace phenomena properly such as slag/metal.gas.solid reactions, gas flow behaviour and interfacial area between the gas/solid/liquid. In the present study, considering the importance of local liquid holdup and non-availability of holdup data in these systems, an attempt has been made to quantify the local holdups in the dropping and around raceway zones in a cold model study using a non-wetting packing for liquid. In order to quantify the liquid holdups at microscopic level, a previously developed technique, X-ray radiography, has been used. It is observed that the liquid flows in preferred paths or channels which carry droplets/rivulets. It has been found that local holdup in some regions of the packed bed is much higher than average at a particular flow rate and this can have important consequences for the correct modelling of such systems.

Quasichemical equations for oxygen and sulphur in liquid binary alloys

An equation has been derived for predicting the activity coefficient of oxygen or sulphur in dilute solution in binary alloys, based on the quasichemical approach, where the metal atoms and the oxygen atoms are assigned different bond numbers. This equation is an advance on Alcock and Richardson's earlier treatment where all the three types of atoms were assigned the same coordination number. However, the activity coefficients predicted by this new equation appear to be very similar to those obtained through Alcock and Richardson's equation for a number of alloy systems, when the coordination number of oxygen in the new model is the same as the average coordination number used in the earlier equation. A second equation based on the formation of “molecular species” of the type XnO and YnO in solution is also derived, where X and Y atoms attached to oxygen are assumed not to make any other bonds. This equation does not fit experimental data in all the systems considered for a fixed value of n. Howover, if the strong oxygen-metal bonds are assumed to distort the electronic configuation around the metal atoms bonded to oxygen and thus reduce the strength of the bonds formed by these atoms with neighbouring metal atoms by approximately a factor of two, the resulting equation is found to predict the activity coefficients of oxygen that are in good agreement with experimental data in a number of binary alloys.

Solubility and activity of oxygen in liquid gallium and gallium copper alloys

The solubility of oxygen in liquid gallium in the temperature range 775 –1125 °C and in liquid gallium-copper alloys at 1100 °C, in equilibrium with β-Ga2O3, has been measured by an isopiestic equilibrium technique. The solubility of oxygen in pure gallium is given by the equation log (at.% O) = −7380/T + 4.264 (±0.03) Using recently measured values for the standard free energy of formation of β-Ga2O3 and assuming that oxygen obeys Sievert's law up to the saturation limit, the standard free energy of solution of oxygen in liquid gallium may be calculated : View the MathML sourceΔ°298 = −52 680 + 6.53T (±200) cal where the standard state for dissolved oxygen is an infinitely dilute solution in which the activity is equal to atomic per cent. The effect of copper on the activity of oxygen dissolved in liquid gallium is found to be in good agreement with that predicted by a recent quasichemical model in which it was assumed that each oxygen is interstitially coordinated to four metal atoms and that the nearest neighbour metal atoms lose approximately half their metallic cohesive energies.

Solubility and activity of oxygen in liquid indium and copper indium alloys

The solubility of oxygen in liquid indium in the temperature range 650–820 °C and in liquid copper-indium alloys at 1100 °C in equilibrium with indium sesquioxide has been measured by a phase equilibration technique. The solubility of oxygen in pure indium is given by the relation log(at.% O) = −4726/T + 3.73 (±0.08) Using the recently measured values for the standard free energy of formation of In2O3 and assuming that oxygen obeys Sievert's law up to saturation, the standard free energy of solution of molecular oxygen in liquid indium is calculated as View the MathML sourceΔG°= −51 440 + 8.07 T (±500) cal where the standard state for dissolved oxygen is an infinitely dilute solution in which activity is equal to atomic per cent. The effect of indium additions on the activity coefficient of oxygen dissolved in liquid copper was measured by a solid oxide galvanic cell. The interaction parameter ϵ0In is given by View the MathML source The experimentally determined variation of the activity coefficient of oxygen in dilute solution in Cu-In alloys is in fair agreement with that predicted by a quasichemical model in which each oxygen atom is assumed to be interstitially coordinated to four metal atoms and the nearest neighbour metal atoms are assumed to lose approximately half their metallic cohesive energies.

Solubility and activity of oxygen in liquid germanium and germanium copper alloys

The solubility of oxygen in liquid germanium in the temperature range 1233 to 1397 K, and in liquid germanium-copper alloys at 1373 K, in equilibrium with GeO2 has been measured by the phase equilibration technique. The solubility of oxygen in pure germanium is given by the relation R470 log(at. pct 0)=-6470/T+4.24 (±0.07). The standard free energy of solution of oxygen in liquid germanium is calculated from the saturation solubility, and recently measured values for the free energy of formation of GeO2, assuming that oxygen obeys Sievert’s law up to the saturation limit. For the reaction, 1/2 O2(g)→ OGe ΔG° =-39,000 + 3.21T (±500) cal = -163,200 + 13.43T (±2100) J. where the standard state for dissolved oxygen is that which makes the value of activity equal to the concentration (in at. pct), in the limit, as concentration approaches zero. The effect of copper on the activity of oxygen dissolved in liquid germanium is found to be in good agreement with that predicted by a quasichemical model in which each oxygen was assumed to be bonded to four metal atoms and the nearest neighbor metal atoms to an oxygen atom are assumed to lose approximately half of their metallic bonds.

Solubility and activity of oxygen in liquid antimony

The solubility limit of oxygen in liquid antimony has been measured by a novel isopiestic technique in the temperature range 995--1175 deg K. The results can be expressed by the equation log c = --5500/T + 3.754 ( plus/minus 0.04) with c in at.% O and T in deg K. The oxygen potential over Sb + O alloys equilibrium with Sb2O3 has been measured by a solid state cell using a fully stabilized CaO.ZrO2 electrolyte. The cell was designed to contain the Sb + Sb2O3 mixture in a closed volume, that the vaporization of the oxide can be minimized and true equilibrium attained. The Gibbs free energy of the reaction 2 Sb(s) + 3/2 O2 = Sb2O3(s) is Delta G deg = --719560 + 274.51 T( plus/minus 500) and Sb(l) + 3/2 O2 = Sb2O3(l), Delta G deg = --704711 + ( plus/minus 500) ( Delta G deg in J/mole, T in deg K). The combination of these results with Sieverts' law yields the standard free energy of solution of oxygen in liquid antimony according to the reaction 1/2 O2 = \O\Sb,at.% as Delta G deg = --129620 + 14.23 T ( plus/minus 950). The standard enthalopy and entropy of the solution of oxygen in Sb are compared with values for other metal- oyxgen systems, and with the standard enthalpies of formation of corresponding oxides. The resulting correlations permit the estimation of the standard free energy of solution of oxygen in pure metals for which experimental information is lacking. 24 ref.--AA

A derivation of thermodynamic quantities of liquid alloys from their structure factors

A method of deriving the thermodynamic properties of mixing in liquid alloys Delta G, Delta S and Delta H, from low-Q scattering data has been presented. As an example, the method has been demonstrated with liquid Na-Ga alloys for which both thermodynamic and diffraction data have recently been obtained by the authors.

Solubility and activity of oxygen in liquid manganese

The oxygen concentration of liquid manganese in equilibrium with MnAl2+2xO4+3x and α−Al2O3 has been determined in the temperature range 1520 to 1875 K. The oxygen content of quenched samples, wrapped in oxygen-free nickel foil, was determined by an inert gas fusion technique. The results are combined with accurate data now available on the Gibbs energies of formation of MnO and Al2O3−saturated MnAl2+2xO4+3x to derive the oxygen content of liquid manganese in equilibrium with MnO and the Gibbs energy of solution of diatomic oxygen gas in liquid manganese. The enthalpy and entropy of solution of oxygen in manganese are compared with similar data on other metal-oxygen systems.

Metal mould reactions during casting of titanium in zircon sand moulds

Metal-mold reaction during Ti casting in zircon sand molds has been studied using scanning electron microscope, energy and wave length dispersive analysis of X-rays, X-ray diffraction, microhardness measurements, and chemical analysis. Experimental results suggest that oxides from the mold are not fully leached out by liquid Ti, but oxygen is preferentially transferred to liquid Ti, leaving behind metallic constituents in the mold as lower oxides or intermetallics of Ti. The electron microprobe analysis has revealed the depth profile of contaminants from the mold into the cast Ti metal. The elements Si, Zr and O were found to have diffused to a considerable distance within the Ti metals. A possible mechanism has now been evolved in regard to the reactions that occur during casting of Ti in zircon sand molds.

In-situ measurements of concentration and temperature during transient solidification of aqueous solution of ammonium chloride using laser interferometry

The variation in temperature and concentration plays a crucial role in predicting the final microstructure during solidification of a binary alloy. Most of the experimental techniques used to measure concentration and temperature are intrusive in nature and affect the flow field. In this paper, the main focus is laid on in-situ, non-intrusive, transient measurement of concentration and temperature during the solidification of a binary mixture of aqueous ammonium chloride solution (a metal-analog system) in a top cooled cavity using laser based Mach-Zehnder Interferometric technique. It was found from the interferogram, that the angular deviation of fringe pattern and the total number of fringes exhibit significant sensitivity to refractive index and hence are functions of the local temperature and concentration of the NH4Cl solution inside the cavity. Using the fringe characteristics, calibration curves were established for the range of temperature and concentration levels expected during the solidification process. In the actual solidification experiment, two hypoeutectic solutions (5% and 15% NH4Cl) were chosen. The calibration curves were used to determine the temperature and concentration of the solution inside the cavity during solidification of 5% and 15% NH4Cl solution at different instants of time. The measurement was carried out at a fixed point in the cavity, and the concentration variation with time was recorded as the solid-liquid interface approached the measurement point. The measurement exhibited distinct zones of concentration distribution caused by solute rejection and Rayleigh Benard convection. Further studies involving flow visualization with laser scattering confirmed the Rayleigh Benard convection. Computational modeling was also performed, which corroborated the experimental findings. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of Ascending/Descending Velocity of Metal Droplet Emulsified in Pb-Salt System

Metal-slag emulsion is an important process to enhance the reaction rate between the two phases; thus, it improves the heat and mass transfer of the process significantly. Various experimental studies have been carried out, and some system specific relations have been proposed by various investigators. A unified, theoretical study is lacking to model this complex phenomenon. Therefore, two simple models based on fundamental laws for metal droplet velocity (both ascending and descending) and bubble velocity, as well as its position at any instant of time, have been proposed. Analytical solutions have been obtained for the developed equations. Analytical solutions have been verified for the droplet velocity, traveling time, and size distribution in slag phase by performing high-temperature experiments in a Pb-salt system and comparing the obtained data with theory. The proposed model has also been verified with published experimental data for various liquid systems with a wide range of physical properties. A good agreement has been found between the analytical solution and the experimental and published data in all cases.

A Finite Element Method Based Approach for Evaluating the Sensitivity of Faraday-Type Electromagnetic Flow Meter for Liquid Sodium Flow

Faraday-type electromagnetic flow meters are employed for measuring the flow rate of liquid sodium in fast breeder reactors. The calibration of such flow meters, owing to the required elaborative arrangements is rather difficult. On the other hand, theoretical approach requires solution of two coupled electromagnetic partial differential equation with profile of the flow and applied magnetic field as the inputs. This is also quite involved due to the 3D nature of the problem. Alternatively, Galerkin finite element method based numerical solution is suggested in the literature as an attractive option for the required calibration. Based on the same, a computer code in Matlab platform has been developed in this work with both 20 and 27 node brick elements. The boundary conditions are correctly defined and several intermediate validation exercises are carried out. Finally it is shown that the sensitivities predicted by the code for flow meters of four different dimensions agrees well with the results given by analytical expression, thereby providing strong validation. Sensitivity for higher flow rates, for which analytical approach does not exist, is shown to decrease with increase in flow velocity.

Studies of cryocooler based cryosorption pump with activated carbon panels operating at 11K

Cryosorption pump is the only solution for pumping helium and hydrogen in fusion reactors. It is chosen because it offers highest pumping speed as well as the only suitable pump for the harsh environments in a tokamak. Towards the development of such cryosorption pumps, the optimal choice of the right activated carbon panels is essential. In order to characterize the performance of the panels with indigenously developed activated carbon, a cryocooler based cryosorption pump with scaled down sizes of panels is experimented. The results are compared with the commercial cryopanel used in a CTI cryosorption (model: Cryotorr 7) pump. The cryopanel is mounted on the cold head of the second stage GM cryocooler which cools the cryopanel down to 11K with first stage reaching about similar to 50K. With no heat load, cryopump gives the ultimate vacuum of 2.1E-7 mbar. The pumping speed of different gases such as nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, helium are tested both on indigenous and commercial cryopanel. These studies serve as a bench mark towards the development of better cryopanels to be cooled by liquid helium for use with tokamak.