International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)

104
Thermal Analysis of Feeder Neck Using FEM for a Metal
Casting
Prashant R. Anerao
1
, Yashwant S. Munde
2

1,2
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology, Pune, India
Abstract - Feeders compensate volumetric contraction of
casting during solidification. The feeder is connected to
casting through a neck, to facilitate the fettling of feeder from
casting. The design of feeder and neck in a foundry is largely
based on past experience and empirical rules. This paper
discusses the design of feeder neck and effect of heat
accumulation on the design.
Keywords - casting; feeding system; feeder neck; modulus
I. INTRODUCTION
Metal casting involves pouring liquid metal into a
prepared cavity called mold and allowing the metal to
solidify. Today, a variety of molding processes, melting
equipment and casting alloys are available, though the
basic principle remains the same. Casting can produce
variety of products; it can handle variation in weight and
complexity. It is a near net shape manufacturing process
involving less or no further operations required. Almost
any metal or alloy which can be easily melted is castable.
Casting has many process variations depending upon the
material used (e.g. sand, metal, ceramic), molding
techniques and the methods by which the molten alloy is
introduced into the mould cavity (e.g. gravity, low
pressure, high pressure). Some other variations of the
process are investment casting, shell molding, continuous
casting, squeeze casting, lost foam casting etc. Sand casting
is the most widely used process, suitable for producing
intricate parts in almost every metal that can be melted.
Nearly 80% of the components produced by weight are
made through sand casting only.
Feeding System
One of the most important aspects of designing a casting
process is design of feeding system. Since molten metal
shrinks in volume during solidification in the mold cavity,
a portion of fresh molten metal should be fed to make up
for the shrinkage. However, since the fresh molten metal
cannot be fed to an isolated non-solidified metal
completely surrounded by solidified metal, porosity defects
such as a cavity and other void regions are formed. The
cavity thus formed is called a shrinkage cavity which is one
of the most serious casting defects.


Feeders are appended to the casting to compensate the
solidification shrinkage and providing the directional
solidification (from casting to feeders) so the last
solidification points are shifted to the feeders. Therefore
suitable design of feeding system (number, position, size
and shape of feeders) is a key for production of sound
castings. Hot spot is a local temperature maxima, which
effectively feeds adjacent regions in the casting. Hot spot
must be inside the feeder to ensure defect free casting [1].
A. Number of feeders
If a casting have only one hot spot, one feeder connected
to casting face closest to the hotspot is sufficient. If two or
more isolated hot spots located in the casting then it require
multiple feeders, one for each hot spot.
B. Types of feeder
Depending on position, feeders are classified as top and
side feeder. Top feeder is placed above the hot spot,
whereas the side feeder is placed at the side of the hot spot
at the parting line. A top feeder is more effective because
of the additional effect of gravity. It may however, require
a core for producing the undercut at its neck. On the other
hand, side feeders do not require a core.
Depending on whether the top of the feeder is open to
atmosphere or not is classified as open or blind feeder. In
case of sand mould open feeders lose more heat than blind
feeders and therefore are less efficient. But in metal mould
open feeders are more efficient than blind feeder, since heat
transfer by conduction through metal mould is greater than
heat transfer by convection.
C. Shapes of feeder
The ideal shape of a feeder is spherical. This has the
lowest surface area for a given volume and therefore the
longest solidification time compared to other shapes. For
small castings, cylindrical feeders are widely used since
they are easy for moulding. For larger castings, cylindrical
feeders with spherical bottom for side location or spherical
top for top position are widely used, since spherical shape
has advantage of highest modulus compared to other
shapes.





International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)
105
D. Feeder Neck
The feeder is usually connected to casting through a
neck, to facillate the fettling of feeder from casting. Shape
of the feeder neck depends on the feeder shape, feeder
position and the connected portion of the casting. The most
widely used neck shapes are cylindrical for top cylindrical
feeders and rectangular for side feeders.
E. Feedaids
This includes chills, insulation and exothermic sleeves.
The chills increase the local rate of heat transfer (compared
to other surfaces of the casting in contact with mould),
reducing the local solidification time. Insulating or
exothermic sleeves essentially increase the effective
modulus of the feeder, so that a smaller feeder can be used
and the yield is increased. The shape of the feedaid depends
on the feeder shape. They are available in standard shape
and sizes.
II. DESIGN OF FEEDER NECK
A. Solidification time
Feeder must solidify at the same time as, or later than the
casting. This is satisfied by ensuring that the feeder has a
modulus (volume to the surface area ratio) that is
sufficiently larger than the casting by multiplication factor.
The required modulus of the feeder is given by:
feeder hotspot M M > (1)
f
feeder hotspot M k M = (2)
hotspot
feeder f feeder
V A k M = (3)
Volume of feeder should be greater than or equal to right
hand side term of equation, so
0
f
feeder hotspot feeder k A M V s (4)
Where, M
feeder
and M
hotspot
are the modulus of the feeder
and modulus of casting region around the hot spot and k
f
is
the feeder design factor, usually more than 1 (1.1 for
ductile iron casting, and 1.2 for aluminium and steel
castings). If there is an intermediate section of casting
between the feeder and the hot spot, a larger factor may be
needed (say 1.4 or more).
B. Feed path
There must be a clear feed path between the feeder and
the hot spot. Essentially sufficient thermal gradients must
exist for the liquid metal to flow from the feeder to the
hotspot [2]. The feeder usually connected to the casting
through a neck and the neck must be designed such that the
following criteria are satisfied.

feeder neck hotspot
M M M > > (5)
neck n hotspot
M k M = (6)
Similar to heat transfer criterion of feeder we can write
this constraint as;
0
neck n hotspot neck
A k M V s (7)
Here k
n
is the neck design factor and its value usually
more than 1 and less than feeder design factor (k
f
).
In this section statement of feeder optimization problem
is modified to include effect of modified modulus of
hotspot and effect of feedaids.
C. Reduced heat transfer due to placement of feeder
Size of feeder depends on modulus of hotspot i.e. ratio
of volume to the heat transferring surface area of hotspot.
After placing feeder to casting in the hotspot region, heat
transfer from cooling surface decreases which means
modulus of hotspot will increase. So to satisfy heat transfer
criteria we have to increase the modulus of feeder. In
statement of feeder optimization modulus of hotspot should
be modified. To do that optimization will require two
iteration, dimensions from first iteration will going to
modify the modulus of hotspot by subtracting surface area
of feeder bottom in case of top feeder and surface area of
feeder neighboring to hotspot in case of side feeder from
surface area of hotspot.
feeder n hotspot
M k M = (8)
hotspot
feeder feeder feeder
hotspot feeder
V
V A
A A
k

= (9)
Above equation is converted into inequality constraint,
0
hotspot
feeder f feeder
hotspot feeder
V
A k V
A A
s

(10)
Also in the design of neck this modified modulus should
be use.
0
hotspot
neck n neck
hotspot feeder
V
A k V
A A
s

(11)
III. THERMAL ANALYSIS OF FEEDER NECK
Neck is used to connect feeder and casting to facilitate
fettling of casting. There must be a clear feed path between
the feeder and the hot spot. Essentially, sufficient thermal
gradients must exist for the liquid metal to flow from the
feeder to the hot spot.


International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)
106
Modulus of neck should be less than feeder and greater
than modulus of hotspot. Transient thermal analysis of neck
has been carried out in ABAQUS for 100mm cube casting
having neck diameter as 80mm and feeder diameter as
100mm. Following points are considered while analysis:
- For thermal analysis a steel cube casting of side
100mm is considered which is surrounded by a sand
mould size of which is 200mm x 300mm.
- Temperature dependent properties for steel are
taken into consideration.
- Physical and thermal properties of sand are assumed
to be constant.
- Radiation effect is neglected.
- The temperature of the interface is assumed to be at
solidus temperature.
- Convection at the interface is neglected.
- Mold Cavity is instantaneously filled with molten
metal.
The following three steps are used to carry out the
analysis-
- Pre-processing: Define geometry, Material
property, element type and meshing
- Solution: Define analysis type, ex. Transient or
steady state, apply thermal loads and initiate the
solution
- Post processing: Review the results in the form of
graphs or tables
Properties of sand and steel used in the analysis
Properties of sand:
Heat transfer Coefficient (Sand Ambient) = 12 J/sec-m
2
-
K
Thermal conductivity of sand = 0.61 J/mKs
Density of Sand = 1600 Kg/m
3

Specific heat of sand = 1130 J/KgK
Properties of steel:
Latent Heat of Steel = 272 kJ/Kg
Solidus Temperature of steel = 1767 K
Liquidus Temperature = 1800 K
Room Temperature = 300 K
Table I lists temperature dependent properties of steel.
Table I
Temperature dependent properties of steel
Temperature
(K)
Thermal
Conductivity
(J/mKs)
Heat Capacity
(J/kgK)
273 51.9 450
873 35.6 773
1073 26 931
1853 29.7 735
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF THERMAL ANALYSIS OF
FEEDER NECK
Thermal analysis of neck carried out in ABAQUS 6.7.1.
Fig. 1 shows neck connected to casting and feeder. The
temperature profiles at interface of neck, 10mm, 20mm,
and 30mm from neck for different instant of time shown in
figure 4.4. Where d is distance between neck interfaces to
the reference points.

Fig. 1. Test point locations in the sand mould

Fig. 2. Temperature variation plot at different points with
respect to time
Fig. 2 shows results of solidification simulation of
casting with feeder and neck, which shows that heat
transfer from neck to mould is less than casting or feeder
because heat accumulation Heat accumulate around the
neck because there is less sand available to absorb and
conduct heat, the sand around neck has to transfer heat
from three surfaces i.e. casting, feeder bottom and from
neck. So heat accumulates and resist to heat transfer.
Appendix A shows solidification analysis of cube casting
with feeder and neck and key points are noted as,
- Thermal analysis shows that temperature at nearby
neck rises up to solidus temperature of metal before
solidification.
- There becomes thermal equilibrium between sand and
metal, so further heat transfer from neck become
difficult.



International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)
107
- Calculated modulus is always less than effective
modulus of neck. It is possibility that neck modulus
would be more than feeder modulus and reverse
feeding from casting to feeder will occur and it will
result in shrinkage porosity in casting. So effective
modulus will be,
neck effective neck
M k M

= (12)
Where, k is the factor which accounts for heat
accumulation in sand around neck. Consider cube casting
discussed earlier for calculating k value. Results are seen
from figure 4.4, shows that just after solidification starts the
point (B) at 20 mm has temperature equals to temperature
of neck interface. Neck shape is considered as cylindrical,
modulus of which, is calculated as,
2
volume
4
cooling surface area
neck neck
neck
neck neck neck
D H
M
D H
t
t

= =


`
)
(13)
4
neck
neck
D
M = (14)
Similarly effective modulus of neck can be written as,
4
effective
neck effective
D
M

= (15)
where D
effective
is the effective diameter of neck. This
effective diameter sum of neck diameter and volume of
heat accumulate region, which is up to 20 mm from neck.
30
neck effective
mm M

=
20
neck
mm M =
neck effective neck
M k M

= (16)
1.5 k =
This factor is equal to typical value of modulus
extension factor (MEF) for insulating material, means the
effect of heat accumulation around neck is like insulation.
V. CONCLUSION
During designing of feeding system, the heat
accumulation in the sand mould around neck has to be
considered. Thermal analysis was done using FEM of
casting and feeder with neck. Results shows that effective
modulus of neck is too high and it can cause shrinkage
related defects in the casting.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors acknowledge Dr. B. Ravi from Indian
Institute of Technology, Bombay for their guidance and
support.
REFERENCES
[1] Campbell J., Casting practice the 10 rules of casting, Elsevier
Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 1 st edition, 2004.
[2] Campbell J., The new metallurgy of cast metals: Casting, Elsevier
Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 3 rd edition, 2003.
[3] Chen, Y. H. and Yong, T. I., Analysis of solidification in sand and
permanent mold castings and shrinkage prediction, International
Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 175-
189, 1990.
[4] Lewis, R. W. and Ravindran, K., Finite element simulation of
metal casting, International Journal for Numerical Methods in
Engineering, Vol.47, pp.29-59, 2000.
[5] Ravi B., Metal casting: computer aided design and analysis,
Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1st Edition, 2005.
[6] Ravi, B. and Srinivasan, M. N., Casting solidification analysis by
modulus vector method, International Cast Metals journal, Vol. 9,
No. 1, pp.1-7, 1996.
[7] Ravi, B. and Joshi, D., Feedability analysis and optimization driven
by casting simulation, The Indian Foundry Journal, Vol. 53, No. 6,
pp.71-78, 2007.






International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)
108
APPEDIX A
SOLIDIFICATION SIMULATION OF A CASTING USING ABAQUS

(a) at the beginning of solidification (b) after 100sec

(c) after 200sec (d) after 400sec

(e) at end of solidification