Modeling on the Solidification of 1J51 Fe-Ni-Based Alloy Ingot Under Vacuum Conditions

In this article, a numerical simulation model on the solidification of 1J51 Fe-Ni based alloy under vacuum conditions was established using ProCAST software (ESI Group, Paris, France). The calculated temperature profiles of the mold and the solidification profile of the ingot were compared with the measurement, showing a reasonable agreement. The validated model was then used to study the effects of the insulation condition, filling rate, and maximum filling fraction on the solidification state and porosity distribution of the ingot. It was indicated that the shrinkage cavity position of ingot with zirconia fiber was lower than that without zirconia fiber, and the likelihood of centerline shrinkage porosity was independent of the insulation method. The position of macroporosity varied little when the filling rate was from 2.17 kg/s to 5.17 kg/s, while serious solidification defects occurred in the body of ingot when the filling rate was lower than 4.17 kg/s. Increasing the maximum filling fraction had a positive impact on the rise of shrinkage cavity position, but it was hardly advisable because the metal yield decreased with the increase of the maximum filling fraction. Considering the above parameters discussed in this article, it was proposed to remove the zirconia fiber layer for the industrial practice.