P_07: Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) Diagram of Ni-Al-Cr γ-γ’

This example shows you how to simulate a CCT (Continuous Cooling Transformation) diagram for gamma prime (γ’) precipitation in a Ni-Cr-Al alloy using the Precipitation Calculator. A CCT calculation maintains the same cooling rate the entire time.

The system is a Ni-10Al-10Cr γ - γ’ alloy and it is calculated and plotted with superimposition of the cooling rate values.

  • Folder: Precipitation Module - TC-PRISMA
  • File name: P_07_Precipitation_Ni-Al-Cr_CCT_Gamma-Gamma_prime.tcu

Example Settings

System (System Definer)
Database package

Demo: Nickel-based Super Alloys (NIDEMO and MNIDEMO)
Elements

Ni, Al, Cr
Conditions (Precipitation Calculator)
Composition

Ni-10Al-10Cr Mole percent

Matrix phase

DIS_FCC_A1
Precipitate phase

FCC_L12#2
Precipitate Phase Data Parameters (Precipitation Calculator)
Nucleation sites

Bulk
Interfacial energy 0.023 J/m2
Calculation Type (Precipitation Calculator)
Calculation type

CCT Diagram
Temperature Min to Max

500 to 1200 Kelvin
Cooling rate(s)

.01 .1 1 10 100 K/s
Stop criteria

Volume fraction of phase 1.0E-4

Visualizations

This example is included as a Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA) tutorial on our website and as part of the playlist on our YouTube channel.

Open the example project file to review the node setup on the Project window and the associated settings on the Configuration window for each node. For some types of projects, you can also adjust settings on the Plot Renderer Configuration window to preview results before performing the simulation. Click Perform Tree to generate plots and tables to see the results on the Visualizations window.

When you run (Perform) this example, it takes a few minutes for the calculations to complete.

There is a variety of information shown in the Visualizations window that can be viewed during configuration and after performing the calculation.

  • Thermal Profile: When setting up a calculator on a Configuration window for Isothermal or Non-isothermal Calculation Types, you can preview the profile and adjust settings as needed. When you click a calculator node in the Project window, the matching name of the node is on the tab(s) displayed in the Visualizations window.

    For TTT Diagram and CCT Diagram calculations there is nothing shown for the Precipitation Calculator tab in the Visualizations window as there is no Thermal Profile to be defined.

  • Plot or Table results: After completing the set up and performing the calculation, to view the matching name of the node on tab(s) in the Visualizations window, either click a Plot Renderer or Table Renderer node in the Project window or click the tabs individually in the Visualizations window.

In this plot, the blue line shows the time it takes for γ’ to transform at each of the cooling rates according to the stop criteria, which we set as 1e-4 volume fraction. The cooling rates are represented by the multi-coloured curved lines.

Figure 1: In this plot, the blue horizontal line shows the time it takes for γ’ to transform at each of the cooling rates according to the stop criteria, which is set as 1e-4 volume fraction. The cooling rates are represented by the multicoloured curved lines.

If you hover your mouse over the intersection of the blue line and any of the vertical lines, a yellow box shows the approximate time it takes for γ’ to transform according to the stop criteria, which is a volume fraction of 1e-4, followed by the approximate temperature.

An example of the table shown in the Results window, which shows the same information as in the plot. See the text for details

Figure 2: An example of the table shown in the Visualizations window, which shows the same information as in the plot - for each cooling rate the temperature and the time it takes for γ’ to transform according to the stop criteria, which is a volume fraction of 1e-4.