Download or read book Arc Distribution and Motion During the Vacuum Arc Remelting Process as Detected with a Magnetostatic Approach written by Rigel Woodside and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Currently, the temporal arc distribution across the ingot during the vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process is not a known or monitored parameter. It is has previously been shown that arcs can spatially constrict during VAR, and this constriction can lead to undesired defects in the material. Additionally, correct accounting for the heat flux, electric current flux, and mass flux into the ingot are critical to achieving realistic solidification models of the VAR process. An arc position measurement system capable of locating slow moving arcs and determining the arc distribution within an industrial VAR furnace was developed. The system is based on non-invasive magnetic field measurements and VAR specific forms of the magnetostatic Biot-Savart Law. Electromagnetic finite element modeling assists the analysis. The measurement system was installed on an industrial VAR furnace at the ATI facility in Albany, OR. Data were taken during the commercial production of titanium alloy. Although more arcs were present than could be resolved with the number of sensors applied, overall arc distribution shifts were detected. Arc distribution and motion during the final production of Ti-6Al-4V were examined. It is shown that several characteristic arc distribution modes can develop. This behavior was not apparent in the existing signals used to control the furnace, indicating the measurement system provides new information. Finally, a solidification model was used to assess the potential impact of the different arc distribution modes. It is shown the magnetohydrodynamic stirring patterns in the molten pool are affected, which results in localized variations in solidification times in particular at the side wall.