Segregation control at directional solidification using magnetic field and electric current

I. Kaldre¹ - Y. Fautrelle² - J. Etay² - A. Bojareviċs¹ - L. Buligins³

¹ Institute of Physics University of Latvia, 32 Miera str., LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
² SIMAP-EPM, PHELMA-Campus, BP75, 38402 St Martin d'Hères Cedex, France
³ University of Latvia, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, 8 Zellu str., LV-1002, Riga, Latvia

Abstract
Component segregation at solidification of multicomponent alloys is an important practical problem. One of the main causes of segregation is the melt flow in the crucible. In this article, experimental results of directionally solidified Sn-Pb alloy under a static transverse magnetic field and conductive electric current through the solidification front are presented. The applied magnetic field causes thermoelectromagnetic liquid phase convection, while the electric current and magnetic field interaction causes electromagnetic (EM) convection. These two mechanisms allow us to modify net melt convection and segregation in the crucible by modifying the electric current and magnetic field value and direction at solidification of metallic alloys. In this article, similarity between these two convection mechanisms is investigated. Tables 1, Figs 4, Refs 15.