Fluidity of the Liquid in the Solid-Liquid Coexisting Zone

Abstract

An Al–2.4 mass%Si alloy specimen was kept in the solid-liquid coexisting zone having different fractions of solid and a vertical cylindrical hole was made artificially in its center. The flow rate of the interdendritic liquid flowing into the hole was obtained in relation to the fraction of solid.
The result obtained was examined by the application of a hydrodynamic theory for the seepage of water into a hole in the soil and the effective permeability which consists of the permeability, the liquid density and the liquid viscosity has been proposed to evaluate the fluidity of the interdendritic liquid.
The experimental method employed to obtain the effective permeability in the present work is suitable for studying the effects of the alloying element and the cooling rate on the effective permeability. Accordingly this method will be an effective means for the study on the formation mechanism of the macrosegregation in ingots.