Using finite difference method to simulate casting thermal stress

• Main Authors: Liao Dunming, Zhang Bin, Zhou Jianxin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Foundry Journal Agency 2011-05-01
• Series: China Foundry
• Subjects: thermal stress; numerical simulation; finite difference method (FDM); casting solidification process
• Online Access: http://www.foundryworld.com/uploadfile/2011062949338125.pdf

Thermal stress simulation can provide a scientific reference to eliminate defects such as crack, residual stress centralization and deformation etc., caused by thermal stress during casting solidification. To study the thermal stress distribution during casting process, a unilateral thermal-stress coupling model was employed to simulate 3D casting stress using Finite Difference Method (FDM), namely all the traditional thermal-elastic-plastic equations are numerically and differentially discrete. A FDM/FDM numerical simulation system was developed to analyze temperature and stress fields during casting solidification process. Two practical verifications were carried out, and the results from simulation basically coincided with practical cases. The results indicated that the FDM/FDM stress simulation system can be used to simulate the formation of residual stress, and to predict the occurrence of hot tearing. Because heat transfer and stress analysis are all based on FDM, they can use the same FD model, which can avoid the matching process between different models, and hence reduce temperature-load transferring errors. This approach makes the simulation of fluid flow, heat transfer and stress analysis unify into one single model.