Element-free Galerkin method for thermosolutal convection and macrosegregation

In the present work, the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method is applied to a continuum solidification model that calculates thermosolutal convection and macrosegregation during dendritic solidification of multicomponent alloys. Simulations for directional solidification of a binary Pb-Sn alloy and a Ni-base quaternary alloy have been performed in a rectangular two-dimensional domain. In both calculations, the alloy melt is cooled from below and the growth of the mushy zone is followed in time. The formation of macrosegregation defects known as 'freckles' has been successfully simulated using the meshless EFG method. A varying degree of sensitivity of results to the number and distribution of meshfree particles was obtained. The potential of the method for a broader range of solidification models is discussed. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.