Estimation of thermal contact resistance during the first stages of metal solidification process: I - experiment principle and modelisation

This paper describes a simple experimental method for obtaining the thermal contact resistance between a metal casting and the mold. A specific model has been developed for the study of heat transfer across the metal-mold interface. This study uses a combination method of experimental and numerical procedures to obtain the thermal contact resistance during the first stages of the metal casting. Experimental work is performed to obtain measurable quantities such as thermal histories at various and selected thermocouple locations. The numerical work is performed to obtain temperature surface distribution and the inner gradient temperature by solving the inverse heat conduction problem in the mold region and by solving a direct heat phase change problem in the casting region. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.