A front tracking model of the MAXUS-8 microgravity solidification experiment on a Ti-45.5at.%Al-8at.%Nb alloy
Document Type Conference Paper
Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Advances in Solidification Processes (Rolduc Abbey, Kerkrade, The Netherlands, 7-10 June 2011)
Abstract
On 26th March 2010 the MAXUS-8 sounding rocket was launched from the Esrange Space Center launching facility in Sweden. As part of the Intermetallic Materials Processing in Relation to Earth and Space Solidification (IMPRESS) project, a solidification experiment was conducted on a Ti-45.5at.%Al-8at.%Nb intermetallic alloy in a module on this rocket. The experiment was designed to investigate columnar and equiaxed microstructures in the alloy. A furnace model of the MAXUS 8 experiment with a Front Tracking Model of solidification has been developed to determine the macrosturcture and thermal history of the samples in the experiment. This paper gives details of results of the front tracking model applied to the MAXUS 8 microgravity experiment. A model for columnar growth is presented and compared to experimental results for furnace A of the experiment module.