FINITE ELEMENT MODELING OF CASTING FLUIDITY

Abstract

Fluidity is the capability of a metal or an alloy to All a mould fully without chocking due to premature solidification. When molten metal flows in the mould, it is in contact with the mould wall,. which is lower in temperature, and hence crystallization leading solidification takes place. The fluidity is important not only to ensure that the mould can be fully filled by the metal without premature chocking by solidification, but also there is a direct connection between fluidity criteria and the quality of casting. Four-node quadrilateral finite elements have been used here to evaluate the approximate fluidity of aluminum casting flowing through two-dimensional straight channel. Pouring temperatures, flow velocity and temperature independent physical properties of aluminum have been used as the main simulation parameters of the transient heat conduction equation. Fixed mesh. size with increasing number of elements have been used in the Finite Element modeling. The fictitious heat flow method has been used for modeling phase change. Results show very good linearity with respect to pouring temperature and flow velocity. Results of the present work are in excellent agreement with results available in the literature.