A FUNDAMENTAL STUDY OF SAND INVESTMENT SYSTEMS USING COMPUTATIONAL PARTICLE FLUID DYNAMICS
Open Access
- Author:
- Orlowski, Joshua David
- Area of Honors:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Robert Carl Voigt, Thesis Supervisor
Robert Carl Voigt, Thesis Supervisor
Mary I Frecker, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- cores
core blowing
cpfd
computational particle fluid dynamics - Abstract:
- This thesis uses computational particle fluid dynamics software (CPFD) to study the sand investment system of a core blowing machine. Several aspects of the investment system are varied in order to determine the effects. A total of 8 simulations are conducted, testing 3 variables. Variables tested include the addition of vacuum to the corebox, as well as the addition of air inlets to the sand tube and sand head. The results of each of these design changes are discussed, and variables requiring further study are identified. It is shown in this thesis that the addition of vacuum to the vents in a corebox has little effect on the resulting core quality. Tests utilizing corebox vacuum do exhibit marginally better blow times, but only to a small degree. The addition of air inlets to the sand tube is shown to increase the fluidization of sand in the sand tube and sand head, but does not result in better corebox filling in these tests. Adding air inlets to the sand head has the largest effect on core filling, however in these simulations it has a negative impact on core quality and causes additional ratholing in the sand head. The addition of air inlets to both the sand tube and sand head are shown to have potential for improving the core blowing process. Future experiments are detailed that will focus on the proper application of these technologies.