Mastering of the Filling Stage in Low Pressure Sand Casting Process

Abstract

In Low Pressure Casting (LPC), the counter gravity filling at low velocity and the protective gas atmosphere above the metal can potentially reduce gas and oxides entrapment in the metal. However, the relationship between the imposed gas pressure evolution and the melt filling dynamics cannot be analytically determined as it is geometry-dependent. This issue is the missing link to master and automate the filling step in LPC process. In this work, the filling dynamics is numerically investigated for different mold geometries and pressure ramps. The simulation, carried out using ANSYS Fluent® simulation software, is combined with an analytical model. As the results are quantitatively predictive of the filling flow, it permits to develop a numerical study, considering different sudden or progressive section changes and pressure ramps. The impact of the different process parameters on the flow dynamics is analyzed, particularly the transition smoothing impact.