Similar physical simulation of microflow in micro-channel by centrifugal casting process
(1. Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Microstructures Manufacturing of Ministry of Education,
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China;
2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China;
3. School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China)
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China;
2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China;
3. School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China)
Abstract: By means of similar physical simulation, liquid metal filling flow pattern in the microscale during the centrifugal casting process was studied. It was found that, in microscale, the flow channel with the maximum cross-sectional area was filled first, and the micro flow channels with 0.1 mm in diameter were filled when the rotational speed was increased to 964 r/min. The total fluid energy remained constant during the mould filling, and the changes of cross-sectional area only occurred in the microflow channels with 0.3 mm in diameter. Filling velocity increased with processing time, and a peak value was achieved rapidly, followed by a gentle increase as the process proceeded further. The time required to achieve the peak filling rate decreased dramatically with increase of rotational speed.
Key words: similar simulation; microflow; centrifugal casting; micro-channel