Numerical simulation of the solidification processes of copper during vacuum continuous casting

A numerical simulation method is used to analyze the microstructure evolution of 8-mm-diameter copper rods during the vacuum continuous casting (VCC) process. The macro–microscopic coupling method is adopted to develop a temperature field model and a microstructure prediction model. The effects of casting parameters, including casting speed, pouring temperature, cooling rate, and casting dimension on the location and shape of the solid–liquid (S/L) interface and solidified microstructure are considered. Simulation results show that the casting speed has a large effect on the position and shape of the S/L interface and grain morphology. With an increase of casting speed, the shape of the S/L interface changes from a planar shape into an elliptical shape or a narrow, pear shape, and the grain morphology indicates a change from axial growth to axial–radial growth or completely radial growth. The simulation predictions agree well with the microstructure observations of cast specimens. Further analysis of the effects of other casting parameters on the position and shape of the S/L interface reveals that the casting dimension has more influence on the position and shape of the S/L interface and grain morphology than do pouring temperature and cooling rate. The simulation results can be summarized to obtain a discriminant of shape factor (η), which defines the shape of the S/L interface and grain morphology.