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Metal matrix composite solidification in the presence of cooled fibers: numerical simulation and experimental observation

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Abstract

Attempts have been made to alter the solidification microstructures of fiber reinforced aluminum composites by cooling the ends of the fibers extending out of the mold. Experimental observations indicate that cooling the extended ends of the reinforcement results in finer microstructures in the matrix and changes the nature of the interface. In this paper, numerical simulation is performed on a two-dimensional axi-symmetric model to investigate the solidification process of metal matrix composite (MMC) with the extended ends of the fibers cooled by a heat sink. The numerical simulation is based on the source-based enthalpy method with finite volume discretization. The temperature profiles obtained by simulation are compared to the cooling curves measured experimentally in order to validate the current mathematical model. It is found that the simulation result matches the experimental data with reasonable agreement.

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Abbreviations

C :

Mixture specific heat

K :

Mixture thermal conductivity

L :

Latent heat

T E :

Eutectic temperature

T L :

Liquidus temperature

T M :

Melting temperature

c s :

Specific heat for solid

c l :

Specific heat for liquid

f l :

Liquid fraction

h :

Convective heat transfer coefficient

k s :

Thermal conductivity for solid

k l :

Thermal conductivity for liquid

ρ:

Density

κ:

Partition coefficient

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express gratitude to the NSF by funding this research under grant NSF CTS970045N, CMS9821057, and CTS000003N. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Jeong Kyun Kim and Mr. Hwan Goo Seong for polishing the samples of composites and providing microstructures for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, P.O. Box 784, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA

    Eng-Kwong Lee & Ryoichi S. Amano

  2. Department of Materials Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, P.O. Box 784, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA

    Pradeep K. Rohatgi

Authors
  1. Eng-Kwong Lee
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  2. Ryoichi S. Amano
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  3. Pradeep K. Rohatgi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryoichi S. Amano.

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Lee, EK., Amano, R.S. & Rohatgi, P.K. Metal matrix composite solidification in the presence of cooled fibers: numerical simulation and experimental observation. Heat Mass Transfer 43, 741–748 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-005-0057-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-005-0057-7

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