Effect of casting/mould interfacial heat transfer during solidification of aluminium alloys cast in CO2-sand mould

The ability of heat to flow across the casting and through the interface from the casting to the mold directly affects the evolution of solidification and plays a notable role in determining the freezing conditions within the casting, mainly in foundry systems of high thermal diffusivity such as chill castings. An experimental procedure has been utilized to measure the formation process of an interfacial gap and metal-mould interfacial movement during solidification of hollow cylindrical castings of Al-4.5 % Cu alloy cast in CO2-sand mould. Heat flow between the casting and the mould during solidification of Al-4.5 % Cu alloy in CO2-sand mould was assessed using an inverse modeling technique. The analysis yielded the interfacial heat flux (q), heat transfer coefficient (h) and the surface temperatures of the casting and the mould during solidification of the casting. The peak heat flux was incorporated as a dimensionless number and modeled as a function of the thermal diffusivities of the casting and the mould materials. Heat flux transients were normalized with respect to the peak heat flux and modeled as a function of time. The heat flux model proposed was to estimate the heat flux transients during solidification of Al-4.5 % Cu alloy cast in CO2-sand moulds.