Numerical simulation on austenitization of cast steel during heating process

A cellular automaton model has been developed to simulate the austenitization process of ASTM A216 WCA cast steel during heating process. The dissolution of pearlite and the transformation of ferrite into austenite were simulated. The calculation domain was divided into square cells, which are characterized by certain attributes that represent the status of each cell: pearlite (P), ferrite (α), austenite (γ) or γ /α interface. The dissolution of pearlite was described by nucleation and growth of austenite. A mixed-mode model in multicomponent system was employed to calculate the growth velocity of the γ /α interface. According to Burke and Turnbull's theory, austenite grain coarsening induced by γ /γ grain boundary migration was simulated. To validate the model, dilatometric and quenching experiments were carried out. The dilatometric experiment was conducted using a Gleeble1500D with a sample 8 mm in diameter. The temperature of the sample was measured using thermocouples welded on the sample surface. In the quenching experiments, steel samples were heated to different temperatures then dropped into a water tank immediately, and the microstructure of the samples was examined to determine the fraction of the austenite. The simulated results were compared with the experimental results and the capability of the model for quantitatively predicting the microstructure evolution of the steel in heating process was assessed.