Effect of cooling rate on the phase transformation and stability of the mushy zone during the solidification of Waspaloy

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) were used to study the microstructure, microsegregation, and fluid flow tendency of the superalloy Waspaloy in the mushy zone, which had been solidified at different cooling rates. The investigation was accompanied with the calculation of Rayleigh numbers. It is found that Ti is the main segregating element and the content of Ti is the highest in the final liquid at the cooling rates of 3–6℃/min. The eta phase (η) precipitate presented in the residual liquid at the cooling rates higher than 6 ℃/min is responsible for the fluctuations in the curves of Ti content. The dendrite arm spacing is found to markedly decrease with the increase of cooling rate. The maximum relative Rayleigh number occurs at 10–20℃ below the liquidus temperature at a cooling rate of 1℃/min, where the mushy zone is most unstable and fluid flow is most prone to occur.