Development of a New Simulation Method of Casting Process Based on a Cylindrical Coordinate System

Since the numerical analysis was adopted in the mold design, lots of computational methods have been proposed for the simulations of casting processes for the various shaped molds. Today, it is possible to simulate the filling and solidification processes of most casts using the VOF technique. Though the three-dimensional numerical model based on the Cartesian coordinate system can be applied to any shape of cast, it becomes very inefficient when the three-dimensional model is applied to the cast of axi-symmetrical shape since the control volume includes at least 11 of the physical model. In addition, the more meshes should be distributed along the circumferential boundaries of curved shape in the Cartesian coordinate system fur the better results, while such curved circumferential boundary does not need to be considered in the two-dimensional cylindrical coordinate system. This motivates the present study i.e. developing a two-dimensional numerical model for the axi-symmetrically shaped casts. The SIMPLER algorithm, the VOF method, and the equivalent specific heat method have been adopted in the combined algorithm for the flow calculation, the free surface tracking, and the phase change heat transfer, respectively. The numerical model has been applied to the casting process of a pulley, and it was proven that the mesh and time effective calculation was accomplished comparing to the calculation using three-dimensional model.