Study on the Evolution Patterns of the Molten Pool and Inclusion Movement in Electron Beam Cold Hearth Melting Process

In order to deepen the understanding of the electron beam cold hearth melting (EBCHM) process in the production of titanium and its alloys, a thermal-fluid coupling model for the cold hearth refining process was established using ANSYS Fluent fluid simulation software. Comprehensive analysis was conducted on the molten pool morphology, temperature field, and flow field to investigate the influence of smelting process parameters on the mentioned aspects. Multi-physics equations were used to predict the migration behavior and residence time of inclusions in the molten pool, revealing that inclusions with low-density and near-matrix density have residence times exceeding 35 seconds, while high-density inclusions settle into the mushy zone within 20 seconds. The analysis of multi-particle inclusion movement behavior demonstrated a removal rate exceeding 93.1 pct for high-density inclusions, indicating excellent effectiveness. The simulation results showed satisfactory consistency with production experiments.