Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Simulations of Liquid Steel Infiltration in Porous Ceramic Structures: Dynamics of the Penetrating Melt Surface

Pressure infiltration of liquid steel into an open‐cell porous ceramic structure is a possible production line for a new composite material, which is currently under investigation in a joint research project. The initial phase of processing the new composite is dominated by the infiltration of the free melt surface into the porous structure. During the infiltration, the melt surface is alternately divided and reassembled. A more detailed understanding of this process can help e.g., to avoid disadvantageous capturing of pore‐scale gas bubbles in the final metal‐matrix composite. Numerical investigations of the infiltration process are often based on homogenized Darcy‐type model equations. However, the formulation of sound and reliable numerical models beyond the Darcy‐scale is challenging due to the complex physical nature of these processes. In this paper, we describe a refined model approach for the behavior of a free surface in an artificial porous foam structure. The numerical model is based on the volume of fluid method for two‐phase flows. Whereas standard numerical discretization methods lead to time‐consuming simulations, a reformulation of the numerics allows a fair compromise between accuracy and efficiency. A comparison between numerical results and corresponding information from a model experiment is given. A refined simulation method for the movement of free‐liquid surfaces in porous structures is presented. Such flows are found e.g. in the production of composite materials, where liquid‐metal melts are injected into porous reinforcement structures. Important details of these processes can be resolved with the new computational method in a fast and accurate way.