A Study on the Solidification and Purification of High Purity Aluminium Alternate Stirring Method

정역 회전법에 의한 고순도 알루미늄의 응고 및 정련에 관한 연구

The degree of purification and the macrostructure of high purity aluminium were studied through the alternate stirring method in order to improve the nonuniformity of solute concentration in the unidirectional stirring method. The $2^3$ factorial design was done to examine the effects of experimental factors more qualitatively. In the relatively low stirring speed of 1500 rpm with alternate stirring mode, the uniform solute profile and refined grain structure were obtained due to strong washing effect and turbulent fluid flow. It was induced by the transition of the momentum boundary layer by alternation of the stirrer. It was concluded from this study that the alternate stirring mode was more effective to obtain the uniformity of solute even in the stirring speed of 1500 rpm. But the degree of purification decreased below the critical alternating period. When 2N(99.8wt.%) aluminium was used as the starting material the morphology of solid-liquid showed the cellular shape and the columnar grains were inclined to the direction of rotation. This inclined grain growth resulted from the difference of relative velocities of solid and liquid. The inclined angle was increased as the stirring speed increased and solidification proceeded. In the case of 4N aluminium, there was no inclined grain growth and it was confirmed from the macrostructure and SEM work that the morphology of solid-liquid interface was planar. From the factorial design, it was found that the alternate stirring mode showed poorer purification effect than that of unidirectional stirring mode at low speed(500 rpm). In addition, the factor that had the most significant effect on the degree of purification was the stirring speed.