Mechanical state dynamics of the rapidly solidifying metal and corresponding thermoelectric effects.

A. Poznyaks - J. Klavins - S. Krysko

Institute of Physics, University of Latvia, Salaspils-1, LV-2169, Latvia }

Abstract
The numerical simulation method of metal solidification and its mechanical state changes as well as the results of various calculations are considered. All numerical experiments were executed for the situations of the preceding physical experiments: a local region of molten bismuth free surface is exposed to rapid cooling; soon after, the solidification process begins and the changes of metal mechanical state take place in the solidified volume of the metal. The time dependence of the mechanical stress components was calculated. Since thermo-e.m.f. depends on the material mechanical state, the information about stress distribution and its changes was applied for estimating the thermo- e.m.f. values in various solidified metal regions and for calculating the potential differences in the solidified layer. The analysis of the numerical results and their comparison with the data of physical experiments have shown some correlation between the solidifying metal mechanical state changes, the thermoelectric currents induced in this metal and their magnetic field impulses. Figs 7, Refs 8.