Cellular automaton modeling of ductile iron density changes at the solidification time

Formation of the shrinkage defects in ductile iron castings is far more complicated phenomenon than in other casting alloys. In the paper one of the aspects of formation of porosity in this alloy was considered – changes in cast iron's density during crystallization caused by varying temperature, phase fractions and phase's composition. Computer model, using cellular automata method, for determination of changes in density of ductile iron during crystallization was applied. Simulation of solidification was conducted for 5 Fe-C binarie alloys with ES from 0.9 to 1.1 for the estimation of the eutectic saturation influence on the ductile iron shrinkage and expansion. As a result of calculations it was stated that after undercooling ductile iron below liquidus temperature volumetric changes proceed in three stages: preeutectic shrinkage (minimal in eutectic cast iron), eutectic expansion (maximum value equals to about 1.5% for ES = 1.05) and last shrinkage (about 0.4% in all alloys regardless of ES).