3D Numerical Simulation of the Var Consumable Electrode Melting Process

• Published in: Metallurgical and materials transactions. B, Process metallurgy and materials processing science Vol. 51; no. 6; pp. 2492 - 2503
• Main Authors: Bhar, R., Jardy, A., Chapelle, P., Descotes, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2020; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Engineering Sciences; Liquid Metal Processing & Casting Conference 2019; Materials; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Nanotechnology; Structural Materials; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Topical Collection: Liquid Metal Processing & Casting Conference 2019
• ISSN: 1073-5615; 1543-1916
• DOI: 10.1007/s11663-020-01966-x

A 3D numerical model was set up to simulate the formation and dynamics of the liquid metal film under the consumable electrode during VAR process. In the present paper, the implementation of this model is described. It was developed using the open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software OpenFOAM. The model solves coupled momentum and energy equations combined with a volume of fluid (VOF) method to track the liquid metal free surface. The melting of the electrode material is modeled with an enthalpy-porosity approach. The electric power supplied by the arc is supposed to be uniformly distributed over the surface of the electrode tip. For a given electric arc power, the model enables to quantitatively predict the dripping rate and hence the overall melt rate. Besides the thermal behavior of the electrode, simulation results illustrate the dynamics of the liquid film and the transfer mechanisms of the liquid metal during VAR melts performed with short and long interelectrode gaps.