Experimental and modeling investigation of freezing behavior for frozen sand molds

Abstract

The essence of the freezing process in frozen sand molds is the heat transfer issue within the water-containing porous medium. In this paper, the evolutionary mechanism of the water-ice phase interface in frozen sand molds was studied through simulations and experiments at the mesoscale. Firstly, the evolutions of the phase field and temperature field during the unidirectional freezing process of frozen sand molds with different pore structures were investigated through numerical simulations. Then, utilizing the low-temperature freezing in-situ characterization platform, the nucleation mechanism of ice crystal bonding bridges between sand particles of varying materials was explored. The influence of sand mold characteristics on the freezing behavior of frozen sand molds was evaluated by the unique variable principle. Additionally, power function relationships for freezing time of frozen sand molds with different scales and materials were established, enabling the prediction of the time required for complete freezing of frozen sand molds. According to the results of multiple nonlinear regression analysis, the model showed reliable accuracy in predicting the time for fully frozen. This work will provide a valuable reference for further research on the engineering application of frozen sand molds.