Experimental validation of numerical simulations of free-surface flow within casting mould cavities

Abstract

PurposeThe paper targets on providing new experimental data for validation of the well-established mathematical models within the framework of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), which are applied to problems of casting processes in complex mould cavities.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental campaign aiming at the free-surface flow within a system of narrow channels is designed and executed under well-controlled laboratory conditions. An in-house lattice Boltzmann solver is implemented. Its algorithm is described in detail and its performance is tested thoroughly using both the newly recorded experimental data and well-known analytical benchmark tests.FindingsThe benchmark tests prove the ability of the implemented algorithm to provide a reliable solution when the surface tension effects become dominant. The convergence of the implemented method is assessed. The two new experimentally studied problems are resolved well by simulations using a coarse computational grid.Originality/valueA detailed set of original experimental data for validation of computational schemes for simulations of free-surface gravity-driven flow within a system of narrow channels is presented.

Analysis and comparison of boundary condition variants in the free‐surface lattice Boltzmann method

“…Therefore, an obvious alternative is to reconstruct only missing PDFs (OM), as in Figure 1D, without discarding any flow field information. While this variant's balance of forces has not been analyzed theoretically in the literature, several authors 6,18,[37][38][39][40][41][42][43] have used it without further reasoning.…”

Analysis and comparison of boundary condition variants in the free-surface lattice Boltzmann method

“…Therefore, an obvious alternative is to reconstruct only missing PDFs (OM), as in Figure 1d, without discarding any flow field information. While this variant's balance of forces has not been analyzed theoretically in the literature, several authors 6,9,26,27,28,29,30,31,32 have used it without further reasoning.…”