Casting
Commercial and non-commercial casting and solidification codes often include databases of alloy specific properties for certain specific alloys for which data are available. However, for in-house alloys, specific alloy chemistries and particularly alloys under development, these alloys would not be included in those databases. In such cases, tools such as Thermo-Calc can be used to predict properties that can be used as user-inputs into these codes.
Thermo-Calc Applications to Casting
- Solidus and liquidus temperatures
- Fraction solid curves (under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions)
- Micro-segregation predicted by Scheil solidification simulations, including partial equilibrium in the liquid and solid for elements identified by the user as fast-diffusers | Example Calculation
- Latent and specific heat
- Cp and apparent Cp
- With databases that include molar volume data, both density and relative length change can be predicted
- Thermal expansivity
Diffusion module (DICTRA) Applications to Casting
- Micro-segregation during solidification as a function of cooling rate (Thermo-Calc calculations based on Scheil do not consider cooling rates)
Example Calculation: Microsegregation during Solidification
See an example which uses Thermo-Calc together with the Add-on Diffusion Module (DICTRA) to investigate and predict microsegregation (solute redistribution) during solidification. The example includes a comprehensive analysis of the calculation and a calculation file which you can download and run in Thermo-Calc.
See the Microsegregation during Solidification example »
PAPER: Continuous Casting of High Carbon Steel: How Does Hard Cooling Influence Solidification, Micro - and Macro Segregation?
This open access paper investigates why hard secondary cooling significantly reduces macro-segregation. The solidification of high carbon tire cord grade C80D cast as a 150x150 mm billet is calculated using the proprietary SMS Group solidification simulation package CHILL using steel properties calculated with the Thermo-Calc software package and TCFE steels database.