Review Reports - Elimination of the Stray Grain Defects of Single Crystal Blade by Variable Wall Thickness Based on Integral Ceramic Mold

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Zhefeng Liu et al. elaborated the paper “Elimination of the stray grains defect of single crystal blade by variable wall thickness based on integral ceramic mold” conducting simulations on the influence of variable wall thickness mold on the temperature field of the platform during directional solidification and also studying influence of molds assembly angle on the formation of stray grains. The topic is interesting, and authors provide consistent simulated data based on which further improvements in the DC domain, while the results are limited to simulations without any reference to actual experimental measurements. Generally, the structure of the manuscript is well elaborated, each section containing comprehensive data and literature references, while English could be further improved. I recommend the manuscript to be considered for publication after minimal English and template revision.

Author Response

Thank you very much for your careful review of this article and your suggestions. I have rechecked the English language and writing style, and corrected several mistakes, they have been completed in the revised version. As for the experimental data you mentioned, it will take a lot of work and a long time to complete, which will be my main task in the next stage. Thank you again for your valuable suggestions.

Reviewer 2 Report

This is a very interesting research. However, there are a few questions the answers to which might make it better:

1. What kind вasic parameters were setting of ProCAST numerical simulation determined for CMSX-4 Superalloy? For example: liquidus and solidus temperatures, thermal conductivity, density and etc. Were they asked through temperature dependences?

2. Have the thermophysical properties of the CMSX-4 superalloy been measured or simulated? Needs to be described it.

3. I think it would be very nice to check the obtained results of numerical simulation by obtaining test castings. if a mold with a variable ideal wall thickness were produced and poured at the ideal angle determined by simulation and a perfect single-crystal blade was obtained, that would be excellent for this manuscript!

4. Please check the text of the manuscript again. There are typos. For example: on line 95 there is a dot twice, on line 209 there is no reference. I might not have noticed other.

Author Response

Thank you very much for your careful review of this article and your suggestions, in response to your question, I have revised the article as follows.

Thank you for your reminder, I have supplemented the list of thermophysical parameters of CMSX-4 alloy corresponding to different temperatures in the article. Please refer to Table 3 on Page 4.

2. Have the thermophysical properties of the CMSX-4 superalloy been measured or simulated? Needs to be described it.

The thermophysical parameters used in Table 3 are the results of many actual tests and can also well support the simulation results.

It will take a long period to complete the test castings, which is the main task of the next stage, and the preliminary preparation is already in progress. This paper mainly analyzes the feasibility of the scheme through simulation.

4. Please check the text of the manuscript again. There are typos. For example: on line 95 there is a dot twice, on line 209 there is no reference. I might not have noticed other.

Thank you for your careful review, I have checked the whole article and corrected some typos including those you mentioned.

Thank you again for your valuable suggestions. With best wishes.

Reviewer 3 Report

A very interested article is presented, with new technical procesess

How ever there are a few coments:

Title does not relate to what is presented, the title should mention that it is a virtual study or a simulation study.

There are many grammar mistakes, I marked in yellow on the document and mention some below.

Finally in the references some references are put a J or M at the ende of the title of the references, so check the references again.

Line 24, should not be a dot (.)

line 36, don't use capital letter

line 82, the numerical simulation

Line 88, use a dot

Line 97, grid model

Table 3, mold

lines 112, straight grain defects

line 116, platform

line 12o, there are two options:

1.- platform. Two points

2.- platform, two points

line 130, omit the word "is"

line 131, after pont A., add the dot

line 132, omit the dot

line 138, that phrase dont make sense to me

line 146, which shows

line 178, shows

line 182, The

line 184, undercooling, and

line 189

Author Response

Thank you very much for your careful review of this article and your suggestions, in response to your question, I have revised the article as follows.

Title does not relate to what is presented, the title should mention that it is a virtual study or a simulation study.

This paper mainly proposes a scheme to eliminate the stray grain defects of single crystal blade and demonstrates the feasibility of the scheme by means of simulation analysis. The title mainly reflects the goal of the scheme, I hope to get your approval.

There are many grammar mistakes, I marked in yellow on the document and mention some below.

I have corrected all the mistakes you mentioned and rechecked the full text. Thank you for your careful inspection.

Finally in the references some references are put a J or M at the ende of the title of the references, so check the references again.

The problems you mentioned have been modified and all references have been checked. Thank you again for your valuable suggestions

With best wishes!