An initial study of void formation during solidification of aluminum in normal and reduced-gravityVoid formation due to volumetric shrinkage during aluminum solidification was observed in real time using a radiographic viewing system in normal and reduced gravity. An end chill directional solidification furnace with water quench was developed to solidify aluminum samples during the approximately 16 seconds of reduced gravity (+/- 0.02g) achieved by flying an aircraft through a parabolic trajectory. Void formation was recorded for two cases: first a nonwetting system; and second, a wetting system where wetting occurs between the aluminum and crucible lid. The void formation in the nonwetting case is similar in normal and reduced gravity, with a single vapor cavity forming at the top of the crucible. In the wetting case in reduced gravity, surface tension causes two voids to form in the top corners of the crucible, but in normal gravity only one large voids forms across the top.
Document ID
19920046987
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Chiaramonte, Francis P. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Foerster, George (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Gotti, Daniel J. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Neumann, Eric S. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Johnston, J. C. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
De Witt, Kenneth J. (Toledo, University OH, United States)