Solutal Convection of Liquid Al-3.5wt%Li during Its Upward Solidification

The onset of solutal convection during the directional solidification of Bridgman type of liquid Al-3.5 wt%Li is studied. Based on the analysis of a liquid-inhomogeneous-porous-double-layer system, a bimodal feature of neutral stability curve is found. The pulling rate is ascertained as the governing parameter for the mode transition, i.e., it determines whether the microstructure in the mushy layer is related to convection after the system destabilizes.