US 7,024,342 B1Granted

Thermal flow simulation for casting/molding processes

AssigneeMercury Marine

InventorsDavid Marc Waite, Shaupoh Wang, Jenn-Yeu Nieh

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Abstract

A numerical procedure for simulating the behavior of incompressible, viscous fluid in a casting/molding process. The method is based on classical fluid dynamic equations and uses control volume-finite element and numerical techniques to solve the momentum and energy equations to obtain solution for the variable parameters. The method incorporates five additional modules which simulate fluid flow in the shot sleeve, heat transfer between the die and the heat transfer fluid, die cooling by lubricant, formation of mend line. These additional simulation modules produce realistic boundary conditions, and replace many of the assumptions that would have to be made, to solve the governing equations. These added improvements ensure a faster convergence of the numerical solution and a more realistic simulation of the die casting process.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for simulating thermal flows for casting/molding processes, comprising:

selecting simulation modules for incorporation in an overall simulation sequence for execution by a computer, said modules including a Flow in Shot Sleeve Module, a Shrinkage Porosity Prediction Module, a Heat Transfer Fluid Line Module, and a Die Lubricant Cooling Module;
inputting initial parameter value and process conditions for the simulation sequence;
performing the simulation sequence with the computer in accordance with the parameter value and process conditions to simulate thermal flow for a casting or molding process, including:
(a) discretizing flow domain into elements having nodes and fluxing surfaces;
(b) incrementing the time by an incrementing time step;
(c) updating material balance;
(d) forming and solving momentum equations, and updating velocity and pressure fields;
(e) forming and solving energy equations, and updating temperature field;
(f) checking if parameters have converged, returning to step (d) if they have not;
(g) determining whether an end-simulation event has occurred, returning to step (c) if it has not;
and
(h) deciding whether to execute post-process simulation modules with the computer, said post-process simulation modules including a Mend Line Prediction Module.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.