Application of heat pipe technology in thermal analysis of metals

Thermal analysis has been used in foundry applications to assess the quality of the melt before casting. The high-end thermal analysis techniques such as DSC or DTA are expensive and not suitable for foundry applications. The Computer-Aided Cooling Curve Analysis (CA-CCA) method based on one thermocouple has been widely used as a batch process with poor control over heat extraction and cooling rates during solidification. A heat pipe apparatus has been developed as a thermal analysis tool. The apparatus can assess the melt quality more accurately, as well as, allow for better control of heating and cooling rates. Moreover, the solidification process can be modeled more accurately, and thus the casting parameters affecting the casting quality can be closely simulated and consequently controlled. In this paper the principles of a heat-pipe assisted thermal analysis system are highlighted. The advantages of the new system are described and the possibility of its adoption in melt assessments is discussed.