Flow Modeling in Negative-Pressure Infiltration Casting Process of Aluminum Open-Cell Fabrication

摘要

Aluminum open cell foam can be fabricated by negative-pressure infiltration casting process. In the process, pressure difference and surface tension are very important parameters, and greatly influence aluminum open cell structure formation. In this study a 3-D geometry unit that can be periodically extended to be an infinite CCP open cell was constructed. A numerical model including this unit and a series of proper boundary conditions was utilized to simulate the infiltration process using a commercial code. Influence of pressure difference, surface tension and turbulent flow on infiltration time was studied using this model. With pressure difference increasing from 1000 to 20000 [Pa], infiltration time is decreased from 0.0268 to 0.0100 [s]. Infiltration time is reduced from 0.0142 to 0.0115 [s] when surface tension is changed from 0.914 to 0[N/m]. The effect of turbulence is to reduce the infiltration time with 17.6%.