Effect of M-EMS on the solidification structure of a steel billet

Effects of mold electromagnetic stirring (M-EMS) on the solidification structure of 45# steel billet were investigated by examination of interdendritic corrosion. The results show that the primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings increase from the edge of the billet to the center and decrease obviously with increasing electromagnetic torque, which will be beneficial to refine the solidification structure and enlarge the equiaxed crystal zone. The ratio of equiaxed crystal increases by 15.9% with the electromagnetic torque increasing from 230 to 400 cN·cm. The increase of stirring intensity can improve the cooling rate and the impact of M-EMS on it reduces from the edge of the billet to the central area, where the cooling rates are similar at different torques. The closer to the central area, the less the influence of M-EMS on the cooling rate is. The ratio of the primary to secondary dendrite arm spacing is approximately 2.0, namely, λ1≈2λ2, and is constant irrespective of the stirring intensity and position of the billet. Original position analysis (OPA) results indicate that the center segregation of the billet is greatly improved, and the more uniform and compact solidification structure will be obtained with the increase of stirring intensity.