Systems and methods for enhanced cooling during directional solidification of a casting component

A casting system for forming a directionally-solidified casting component, the casting system defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the casting system comprising:

• a chamber;
• a baffle plate disposed within the chamber, the chamber and the baffle plate collectively defining a heating zone and a cooling zone, the heating zone and the cooling zone separated by the baffle plate;
• a shaft;
• a cooling plate disposed on the shaft and movable between the heating zone and the cooling zone;
• a mold shell disposed on the cooling plate;
• and
• a cooling system for directing a coolant fluid towards the mold shell, wherein the cooling system comprises a plurality of ejection devices axially spaced apart from one another, wherein each ejection device of the plurality of ejection devices comprises a ring that surrounds the mold shell and defines a plurality of outlets, and wherein the ring of a first ejection device of the plurality of ejection devices defines a first diameter, wherein the ring of a second ejection device of the plurality of ejection devices defines a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter and the second diameter are different.

A casting system for forming a directionally-solidified casting component, the casting system defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the casting system comprising:

• a chamber;
• a baffle plate disposed within the chamber, the chamber and the baffle plate collectively defining a heating zone and a cooling zone, the heating zone and the cooling zone separated by the baffle plate;
• a shaft;
• a cooling plate disposed on the shaft and movable between the heating zone and the cooling zone;
• a mold shell disposed on the cooling plate, wherein the mold shell defines a cooling circuit;
• and
• a cooling system for directing a coolant fluid towards the mold shell, wherein the cooling circuit is in fluid communication with the cooling system, and wherein the cooling system includes a passage defined in the shaft and the cooling plate, the passage being fluidly coupled to the cooling circuit of the mold shell.