A consistent, volume preserving, and adaptive mesh refinement-based framework for modeling non-isothermal gas-liquid-solid flows with phase change

TL;DR

This paper presents an advanced, volume-preserving, adaptive mesh refinement framework for simulating non-isothermal gas-liquid-solid flows with phase change, improving stability, accuracy, and validation capabilities for complex manufacturing processes.

Contribution

It introduces consistent time integration schemes and a validation model for multiphysics simulations involving phase change and surface tension effects.

Findings

Conserves mass, momentum, and energy during phase change simulations.

Accurately models thermocapillary flows without spurious phase changes.

Effectively simulates porosity defects during metal solidification.

Abstract

This work expands on our recently introduced low Mach enthalpy method [1] for simulating the melting and solidification of a phase change material (PCM) alongside (or without) an ambient gas phase. The method captures PCM's volume change (shrinkage or expansion) by accounting for density change-induced flows. We present several improvements to the original work. First, we introduce consistent time integration schemes for the mass, momentum, and enthalpy equations, which enhance the method stability. Demonstrating the effectiveness of this scheme, we show that a system free of external forces and heat sources can conserve its initial mass, momentum, enthalpy, and phase composition. This allows the system to transition from a non-isothermal, non-equilibrium, phase-changing state to an isothermal, equilibrium state without exhibiting unrealistic behavior. Furthermore, we show that the low Mach enthalpy method accurately simulates thermocapillary flows without introducing spurious phase changes. We propose an analytical model to validate advanced CFD codes for simulating metal manufacturing processes like welding and 3D printing. These processes involve a heat source melting metal or alloy in an inert gas environment. Traditionally, validation relied on manipulating material properties to match complex experiments. Our model uses the Stefan problem with a density jump to provide a straightforward method for validating multiphysics simulations involving heat sources and phase changes in three-phase flows.Lastly, we demonstrate the practical utility of the method in modeling porosity defects (gas bubble trapping) during metal solidification. A field extension technique is used to accurately apply surface tension forces in a three-phase flow situation. This is where part of the bubble surface is trapped within the (moving) solidification front.