Computer modeling of casting processes for heavy steel forging ingots.
Heavy steel ingots are used as raw parts for manufacturing of turbine rotors for fossil power and nuclear power plants, mill rolls, etc. These parts have to be uniformly structured and perfectly balanced, and therefore - defect free. The casting technology for such large scale steel ingots has to be optimized in order to save resources, increase yield, and improve quality of ingots. Computer analysis is a good way to optimize the casting technology virtually, shorten the trial casting stage and minimize the lead time. This research work is devoted to the deep computer analysis of traditional technologies for casting of heavy forging ingots. A number of processes is considered: hydrodynamics, solidification, heat transfer and stress effects in ingot tooling system, porosity formation, feeding effectiveness and macrosegregation. The modeling is performed using commercial casting simulation software packages as well as with some original models. This research is targeted at development of recommendations for casting technology optimization. Modeling results are compared with experimental data for verification and improvement of computer models.