The effect of a transverse magnetic field on the growth of equiaxed grains during directional solidification of Al-10wt% Cu alloys was investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental results show that the magnetic field has a great influence on the size and distribution of equiaxed grains. Indeed, the magnetic field causes refined and coarsen equiaxed grains to distribute on the both sides of the sample, respectively. In-situ synchrotron X-ray imaging shows that a transverse magnetic field induced some force which can act on equiaxed grains and cause the movement of equiaxed grains during directional solidification. Numerical results reveal that the modification of the structure may be attributed to the thermoelectric (TE) magnetic effects produced by the magnetic field. Furthermore, a new method of removing inclusions in molten metal is developed by means of the TE magnetic force. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved