M. Wickins

Thermophysical properties of a Ti–44%Al–8%Nb–1%B alloy in the solid and molten states

Abstract The families of titanium aluminide intermetallic alloys have attractive high temperature mechanical properties which make them potential candidate materials for a wide range of applications, particularly in the aeronautic and automobile sectors. The development of appropriate manufacturing techniques is an essential stage in the engineering exploitation of these materials, e.g., Induction Skull Melting is one of the techniques which needs to be optimised for the casting of titanium aluminides. Research is underway to develop a computer model of this process but data are required for the key thermophysical properties. Pulse-heating techniques have been used to measure properties for the Ti–44Al–8Nb–1B system. Rectangular samples have been prepared and are resistively heated as part of a fast capacitor discharge circuit. Time-resolved measurements with sub-μs resolution of currents through the specimen were made with a Pearson probe current monitor using the induction principle. Voltages across the specimen were determined with knife-edge contacts and voltage dividers, and radiance temperatures of the sample were measured with a pyrometer. These measurements allow the calculation of specific heat and dependencies between enthalpy, electrical resistivity and temperature of the alloy up into the liquid phase. Data for thermal diffusivity have been obtained by using the Wiedeman–Franz relation. The results are compared with those obtained using DSC and the four-probe method to measure the temperature dependence of the resistivity.

Entrained oxide films in TiAl castings

Abstract Tilt pouring of TiAl alloy from an induction skull melting (ISM) furnace into a ceramic shell mould has been carried out in this research. Microstructures and casting defects entrained by surface turbulence have been examined using scanning electron microscopy and EDX analysis. Oxide films were found draped over the dendrites of shrinkage porosity and the inner surface of bubbles in the experimental TiAl casting. The entrained oxide films act as heterogeneous nucleation sites, contributing to the formation of centre-line shrinkage porosity in the cast TiAl bars.

Effect of top and bottom filling on reliability of investment castings in Al, Fe, and Ni based alloys

Abstract The effect of bottom and top filling running systems on the properties of four investment cast alloys susceptible to contamination by oxide films during filling was studied. The alloys were air cast 2L99 Al–Si–Mg alloy and 254-SMO super duplex stainless steel and vacuum cast IN939 and IN738LC nickel based superalloys. The Weibull moduli for the tensile strength of investment cast bars produced using top and bottom filling were compared as indicators of casting reliability and of oxide damage produced by the running systems. A Weibull modulus of 18 was obtained for top filled 2L99 castings; this was increased to 34 when a correctly designed bottom filling system with a filter was used, thus reflecting the decreased scatter in properties. However, a similar effect was not found for the stainless steel. The use of improved running system designs led to minor increases in the Weibull modulus of the IN738LC and IN939 Ni alloys.

Numerical modelling of tilt casting process for γ-TiAl alloys

Abstract The tilt casting method is used to achieve tranquil filling of γ-TiAl turbine blades up to 400 mm long. The reactive titanium alloy is induction melted in a cold crucible, and the crucible with the attached mould is then rotated through 180° to transfer the metal into the mould. In the cold crucible, heat losses to the water cooled copper walls and base limit the superheat available, increasing the risk of premature freezing during mould filling. A compromise is required between fast and slow rotations to minimise the casting defects, such as misruns or gas entrainment. Simulations are presented using the authors’ Computational Fluid Dynamics code with several novel developments in front tracking, heat transfer algorithms and turbulence model adaptation, which accounts for an advancing solid front. The computational results are validated against prototype castings produced at the University of Birmingham, and the model is then used to optimise the tilt casting process.