Gas Pressure Effect on Sand Collapse in Kinetic Zone of Lost-Foam Casting

Abstract

Pressure of the kinetic zone is an essential factor for making defect-free castings in lost-foam casting process. The extremely high pressure causes many problems, such as reducing the melt velocity and inclusion of residual decomposition of the pattern in the castings, and very low pressure causes sand collapse. Therefore, the minimum gas pressure for preventing sand collapse is required. When the minimum gas pressure can be predicted, computer simulation becomes possible. Successful computer simulations can help reduce the number of trials and the lead time while designing new casting products. A preliminary sand experiment was conducted to predict the gas pressure and reduce the number of actual casting experiments. In this preliminary sand experiment, compressed air was used instead of gas in the kinetic zone. A new mathematical equation was proposed from the results of the preliminary sand experiment. The void ratio of the sand effect on the minimum gas pressure was included in the equation. An actual casting experiment was conducted by melting nodular cast iron to verify this equation. In the actual casting experiment, pressure of the kinetic zone in front of the metal tip was directly measured. The results obtained from the preliminary sand experiment and the actual casting experiment validated the equation.