Preparation of semi-solid aluminum alloy slurry poured through a water-cooled serpentine channel

• Published in: International journal of minerals, metallurgy and materials metallurgy and materials, 2012, Vol.19 (1), p.48-53
• Main Authors: Chen, Zheng-zhou, Mao, Wei-min, Wu, Zong-chuang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A356铝合金; Aluminum; Aluminum alloys; Aluminum base alloys; Ceramics; Channels; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Circulating; Composites; Cooling; Cooling water; Corrosion and Coatings; Glass; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Microstructure; Natural Materials; Pouring; Rheocasting; Room temperature; Semi-solid processing; Semisolids; Serpentine; Shape factor; Slurries; Surfaces and Interfaces; Temperature; Thin Films; Tribology; Water circulation; 冷却循环水; 冷却水流量; 制备; 半固态浆料; 水冷; 蛇; 通道
• ISSN: 1674-4799; 1869-103X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12613-012-0513-6

A water-cooled serpentine channel pouring process was invented to produce semi-solid A356 aluminum alloy slurry for rheocast ing, and the effects of pouring temperature and circulating cooling water flux on the microstmcture of the slurry were investigated. The results show that at the pouring temperature of 640-680~C and the circulating cooling water flux of 0.9 m3/h, the semi-solid A356 aluminum alloy slurry with spherical primary a（A1） grains can be obtained, whose shape factors are between 0.78 and 0.86 and the grain diameter can reach 48-68 ~am. When the pouring temperatures are at 660-680~C, only a very thin solidified shell remains inside the serpentine channel and can be removed easily. When the serpentine channel is cooled with circulating water, the microstructure of the semi-solid slurry can be improved, and the serpentine channel is quickly cooled to room temperature after the completion of one pouring. In terms of the productivity of the special equipment, the water-cooled serpentine channel is economical and efficient.