Stabilization of the Liquid Metal Bath during DC ESR

Abstract

The shift of the liquid metal bath with respect to the axis of a melted electrode during the passage from an alternating current to a direct current is considered. A method is proposed to stabilize the liquid metal bath using the centrifugal forces induced by the rotation of a consumable electrode. The experimental data are used to calculate the optimum centrifugal force, and a computer model is developed with the Design Exploration unit of the Ansys Multiphysics software package. The electromagnetic force is determined at various distances of a molten drop from the electrode. The simulated data are used to perform electroslag melting with a fixed liquid metal bath along the ingot axis. The geometry of solidification front is determined and the possibility of controlling a crystal structure is shown.