A three-dimensional simulation program based on the SOLA-VOF technique was developed for modelling the mould filling and solidification sequences in the cyclic casting process. The geometry and mesh diagrams of the casting and the mold were automatically generated using a pre-processor based on the commercial Auto-CAD system. The effects of water cooling channels in the metal mould on the cyclic casting process were examined in order to control the temperature variation in the mould and to improve the soundness of castings. An automatic control system of the water cooling channels was developed based on the computer simulation, by which optimum cooling water can be supplied to maintain a quasi-steady state of the mould temperature during the cyclic casting process, leading to the prevention of hot spots and casting defects. The effects of the water cooling system on the resultant solidification sequences of the castings were simulated by the computer program, and the results were compared with the test castings based on the macroscopic observation and temperature measurements inside the mould and the casting regions during cyclic casting. Microstructural size and hardness values were also evaluated as a function of the distance from the centerline of the casting.
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