Fluid flow analysis of the lattice-based ceramic filters in molten metal filter application

Abstract

The ceramic lattice filters are ideal for various technical applications, including filtration, flow stability, and heat transfer, that could alter the transport characteristics like pressure, permeability, and velocity. The authors presented a computational study based on the fluid flow parameters for four struts-based lattice structures in this work. This study includes seven designs of four struts-based lattice structures systematically created with 30 pores per inch (PPI) and 80% porosity while varying the unit cell sizes and strut diameter. The present computational study has been carried out using the turbulent k-epsilon (k-ε) model with the chosen metal alloy, IN718. The efficacy of the lattice filters has been determined by visualizing the physical parameters like pressure drop and velocity distribution patterns inside the filters. This study concludes that the BCC and the Diamond lattice structures have outperformed the other designs. Moreover, the effects of the variation in the unit cell and strut size have been evaluated for different structures and discussed.