Effect of the Melting Rate on the Solidification Rate in the ESR Process

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the melting rate on the solidification rate of ingot in the electroslag remelting process. Structural steel, SS41, was remelted in a copper mold of 85 mm in diameter. The average melting rate was varied from 310 g/min to 480 g/min. Iron sulfide powders were added into the molten metal at predetermined time intervals to determine positions of solidification fronts. Rising rate of solidification fronts V_I were calculated from the volume increase in the solidification front region.
The rising rates V_I were almost the same as the melting rates. The local solidification rate increases linearly with the melting rate in the range of low melting rate. As the melting rate enters the range of high melting rate, the local solidification rate approaches to a constant value.