Experimental Apparatus for Determining the Characteristics of Solidification in Case of Normal Solidification of Multicomponent Alloys.

A detailed description and illustrations are given of a fully automated mechanical scanning instrument which measures the movement of the solid/liquid interface in a vertical specimen at short intervals and also registers the temperatures immediately in front of, and at a given distance from, the interface. The measured values are stored for computer evaluation. Solidification rate and the temperature gradient in front of the interface are obtained. The morphology of the interface is studied on quenched specimens and coordinated with the computer data. Examples of application of the apparatus are given for Al-0. 3Cu, Al-0. 9Cu, and Al-4Cu alloys.