Modelling of solidification process of aluminium foams using lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract

This study is devoted to developing a numerical model of aluminium melt added as a gassing agent and then heated to a certain temperature to obtain metallic foam. First, a powerful data processing method, i.e. the lattice Boltzmann method on network, is studied. This model considers the variety of complex boundary conditions, the simple and multiphase fluid flow in complex geometries, the stabilisation of the foams, the influence of the parameters depending on the local fluctuations of the metal foam pressure and the mutual interactions between the bubbles inside this foam. Second, the Navier–Stokes equation is applied to elucidate the fluid flows in the liquid. In addition, the diffusion equation for the hydrogen transport, the distribution of temperature, the density and the kinetic equations are studied as well. The Boltzmann algorithm on network is applied to solve the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Finally, a three-dimensional simulation method and calculation algorithm to discretise the complex physical processes is carried out. Moreover, the foaming experiment was performed to learn the main technological parameters.