Modeling and Computation of Molten Aluminum Alloy Flow with Oxide Film by Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

Abstract

  Particle-based computational methods, such as the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method, do not require numerical mesh. Because of the mesh-less characteristics, they are suitable for numerical simulation including free surfaces or moving boundaries. In the casting process, the simulation of the molten metal flow is expected to become more accurate by using particle methods.

  On the other hand, pouring experiments with water and with molten aluminum alloy show totally different filling times and wave shapes, despite the same degree of kinematic viscosity, because molten metal used for casting changes flow characteristics by generating oxide film on the melt surface. Thus, the aim of our research is to construct a numerical model, in order to reproduce the effects of the oxide film by the SPH method. We report the results of the verification of this model by comparing the experimental results and our simulation results by the particle method.