An Impact of a Low Voltage Steady Electrical Current on the Solidification of a Binary Metal Alloy: A Numerical Study

This paper numerically studies the influence of a low voltage direct electrical current (LVDC) on the macroscale fluid, heat and mass transfer phenomena during unidirectional solidification of a binary metal alloy, Sn15wt%Pb. The numerical results show that in the case of an inhomogeneous electrical current density an electromagnetic Lorentz force (Pinch force) appears. This Pinch force induces a fluid flow in the melt responsible for the macrosegregation in the solidified alloy. Furthermore, an upper bound for the electric potential above which the Joule heating becomes significant was obtained analytically and confirmed numerically.