Multiscale modeling and simulation of directional solidification process of Ni-based superalloy turbine blade casting

Ni-based superalloy turbine blades have become indispensable structural parts in modern gas engines. An understanding of the solidification behavior and microstructure formation in directional solidified turbine blades is necessary for improving their high-temperature performance. The multiscale simulation model was developed to simulate the directional solidification process of superalloy turbine blades. The 3D cellular automaton-finite difference (CA-FD) method was used to calculate heat transfer and grain growth on the macroscopic scale, while the phase-field method was developed to simulate dendrite growth on the microscopic scale. Firstly, the evolution of temperature field of an aero-engine blade and a large industrial gas turbine blade was studied under high-rate solidification (HRS) and liquid-metal cooling (LMC) solidification processes. The varying withdrawal velocity was applied to change the curved mushy zone to a flat shape. Secondly, the grain growth in the aero-engine blade was simulated, and the grain structures in the starter block part and the spiral selector part in the HRS process were compared with those in the LMC process. The simulated grain structures were generally in agreement with experimental results. Finally, the dendrite growth in the typical HRS and LMC solidification process was investigated and the simulation results were compared with the experimental results in terms of dendrite morphology and primary dendritic spacing.