DEVELOPMENTS OF THE INSTITUTE :: MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION OF CASTING PROCESSES

Institute of technology of metals of NAS of Belarus solves the following problems:

• Heat and thermal deformation problems of solidification of ingots and castings of any shape;
• Crystallization problems of cast iron castings;
• Multicriterial optimization problems for casting of cast iron billets.

Vast experience in simulation:

• Continuous horizontal and vertical casting of castings and ingots;
• Continuous casting into roll crystallizers;
• Continuous casting into crystallizators type "wheel-belt";
• Continuous casting of batery grids;
• Permanent mold casting;
• Freezing-up casting;
• shaped casting;
• Solidification of steel ingots in mould and heating in a furnace for rolling;
• Solidification of castings in compound molds.

Methods, used for development of the software:

• finite difference method;
• FEA;
• equivalent heat scheme method.

Presentation of the results of simulation of continuous horizontal casting	Presentation of the results of simulation of casting by compound mold sinking

Optimization tasks are solved with application of the method of multicriterial optimization, eveloped on the grounds of fuzzy-set theory. The point of the method is finding global compromise solution, minding controversity and inequivalence of optimization criteria. Preference function is used for formalization of quality criteria and limitations, which allow taking into consideration information of unclear quality character on the stage of problem definition. To find ranks of quality criteria and limitations, a scale of linguistic evaluations of relative importance and,built on its base, matrix of paired criteria and limitations are used.

Problems of solidification of complex shape castings are solved by FEA method and equivalent heat scheme method on the grounds of software, developed in the Institute. In areas with high temperature gradient element subinterval is taken much shorter, than in areas with insignificant gradients. As a result of the process, areas of unsatisfactory feeding of castings with high possibility of formation of cracks and caverns
Problems of crystallization of cast iron castings were solved by introduction of dimensionless coordinates in each of the calculated areas for definition dislocation of interface boundariesand their size.

Display of the results of calculation of shape casting