The significance of the zone melting theory for the electron beam multi-chamber furnace

The postulates of the zone melting theory do not adequately cover the concentration distributions observed in steel or alloy ingots obtained from electron beam multi-chamber furnaces. A model system based on the segregation and diffusion processes was developed to give an improved description of the segregation process and the system was programmed for a digital computer. The results indicate that the solidification rate is the most important factor in the melting conditions investigated and that, in the water cooled moulds, only a relatively small area is capable of an increase in concentration.