Sequentially Coupled Simulation of Multiphysical Fields During Twin-Electrode Electroslag Remelting Process

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d development of industry, the requirements for large-scale ingots of high performance are constantly increasing.[1] Moreover, the ingots produced by traditional electroslag remelting (ESR) process, which has the disadvantage of various degrees of flaw and segregation, especially for large ingots, could not meet the demand.[2] Hence, a new method, the ’twin-electrode electroslag remelting (TE-ESR) process,’ has been put forward.[3]

FANG WANG is with the Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Ores (Ministry of Education), Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, Liaoning, P. R. China and also with the School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, P. R. China. Contact e-mail: [email protected] QIANG WANG is with the Wuhan University of Science & Technology, State Key Lab Refractories & Met, Wuhan 430081, Hubei, P. R. China. JAKOV BALETA is with the Faculty of Metallurgy, University of Zagreb, 44 103 Sisak, Croatia. BAOKUAN LI is with the School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University. Manuscript submitted December 18, 2020.

METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS B

Compared to the traditional ESR process, there are two consumable electrodes in the TE-ESR process which are connected to the fake electrodes to the AC current source. As shown in Figure 1, there is a current loop where the current goes from electrode A, through the slag and finally flows back to the electrode B. The induced electromagnetic field can be partially counteracted due to the particular structure of the twin-electrode, leading to decrease in the inductive reactance of short network and power factor increase.[4] The TE-ESR system has the advantages of lower inductive reactance and energy consumption, as well as higher melting rate, which can significantly save product costs and enhance product efficiency. In addition, compared to the traditional ESR process, the defects of ingots produced using the TE-ESR process could be effectively reduced. With the common availability of numerical simulation software, mathematical modeling is becoming an attractive approach to describe complex physicochemical phenomena taking place during the ESR process with varying geometrical and controlling parameters. Until now, many authors have established multi-physical mathematical models of traditional ESR furnace.[5–7] Kharicha et al.[8] established a 3D numerical model to explore the complex coupling existing between the electrodynamics and the phase distribution during

Fig. 2—Photo of the TE-ESR experiment with twin-electrode. Fig. 1—Schematic diagram of electroslag remelting process.

the process. The droplet formation during melting of an electrode under the action of a strong DC current is simulated with a multiphase-magnetohydrodynamic approach. Jardy et al.[9] developed a model which considered electrically insulated mold by solidified slag skin in the traditional ESR process. Wang et al.[10] demonstrated a transient 3D coupled mathematical model to explore multi-physical fields in the traditional ESR process. M