Ansys Training
Ansys Training
Ansys Training
Solidification of a Casting
3.1.1. Problem Specification
Applicable ANSYS Products:
Level of Difficulty:
moderate
60 to 90 minutes
Discipline:
thermal
Analysis Type:
nonlinear transient
PLANE55
3.1.2.1. Given
Material Properties for Sand
Conductivity (KXX)
0.025 Btu/(hr-in-oF)
Density (DENS)
0.054 lb/in3
0.28 Btu/(lb-oF)
1.44 Btu/(hr-in-oF)
at 2643oF
1.54
at 2750oF
1.22
at 2875oF
1.22
0.0 Btu/in3
at 2643oF
128.1
at 2750oF
163.8
at 2875oF
174.2
Initial Conditions
Temperature of steel
2875 oF
Temperature of sand
80 oF
Convection Properties
Film coefficient
0.014 Btu/(hr-in2-oF)
Ambient temperature
80 oF
The mold material (sand) has constant material properties. The casting (steel) has temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and
enthalpy; both are input in a table of values versus temperature. The enthalpy property table captures the latent heat capacity of the
metal as it solidifies. Radiation effects are ignored.
Solution control is used to establish several nonlinear options, including automatic time stepping. Automatic time stepping determines the
proper time step increments needed to converge the phase change nonlinearity. This means that smaller time step sizes will be used
during the transition from molten metal to solid state.
Input Geometry
2. Read in the geometry of the casting.
Define Materials
3. Define material properties.
4. Plot material properties vs. temperature.
5. Define element type.
Generate Mesh
6. Mesh the model.
Apply Loads
7. Apply convection loads on the exposed boundary lines.
Obtain Solution
8. Define analysis type.
9. Examine solution control.
10. Specify initial conditions for the transient.
11. Set time, time step size, and related parameters.
12. Set output controls.
13. Solve.
Review Results
14. Enter the time-history postprocessor and define variables.
15. Plot temperature vs. time.
16. Set up to animate the results.
17. Animate the results.
18. Exit the ANSYS program.
8. (double-click) Density
9. DENS = 0.54
10. [OK]
The metal casting is defined as material number 2. These properties change significantly as the metal cools down from the liquid
phase to the solid phase. Therefore, they are entered in a table of properties versus temperature.
First define the temperature dependent thermal conductivity.
11. Material> New Model
12. Define Material ID = 2
13. [OK]
14. (double-click) Isotropic
15. [Add Temperature] three times to create fields for the four temperatures.
16. T1 = 0
17. T2 = 2643
18. T3 = 2750
19. T4 = 2875
20. KXX at T1 = 1.44
21. KXX at T2 = 1.54
22. KXX at T3 = 1.22
23. KXX at T4 = 1.22
You will now copy the four temperatures so you will be able to paste them into the Enthalpy dialog box.
24. Select the temperatures by holding the left mouse button and dragging across the temperature row so that the row is highlighted.
25. [Ctrl] then [c] to copy the temperatures.
26. [OK]
Next, define the temperature dependent enthalpy.
27. (double-click) Enthalpy
28. [Add Temperature] three times to create fields for the four temperatures.
29. Paste the temperatures into the dialog box by highlighting the T1 temperature field, and pressing [Ctrl] then [v].
30. ENTH at T1 = 0
31. ENTH at T2 = 128.1
32. ENTH at T3 = 163.8
33. ENTH at T4 = 174.2
34. [OK]
Note: PC Users: You can view a demo on adding a temperature dependent material model by pointing your
Internet Explorer browser to the following URL address:
http://www.ansys.com/techmedia/add_temp_material.html
Note: PC Users: You can view a demo on graphing a temperature dependent material model by pointing your
Internet Explorer browser to the following URL address:
http://www.ansys.com/techmedia/graph_temp_material.html
4. (double-click) Enthalpy under the right or left window.
5. [Graph]
6. [OK]
7. Material> Exit
8. Toolbar: SAVE_DB
Specify a SmartSize of 4. This will allow a slightly finer mesh than the default.
2. Main Menu> Preprocessor> Meshing> MeshTool
3. (check) Smart Size
4. (slide) Fine Course = 4
5. [Mesh]
Mesh the mold area first. Note that the material attribute reference number defaults to 1 and there is no need to set attributes
before meshing the area.
6. Pick the mold area A5 (Hint: Place the mouse cursor on top of the A5 label when you pick -- this is the picking "hot spot," based on
the centroid of the area.).
7. [OK]
Before meshing the casting area, set the material attribute to that of steel (material 2).
8. (drop down in MeshTool) Element Attributes = Global, then [Set]
9. (drop down) Material number = 2
10. [OK]
11. Utility Menu> Plot> Areas
12. [Mesh] in MeshTool
13. Pick area A4
14. [OK]
15. [Close] in MeshTool
16. Utility Menu> Plot> Elements
Note: The mesh you obtain may vary slightly from the mesh shown here. As a result of this, you may see slightly different results
during postprocessing. For a discussion of results accuracy, see Planning Your Approach in the Modeling and Meshing Guide.
To verify that the elements have the right materials, plot them with different colors for different materials.
17. Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Numbering
18. (drop down) Elem / Attrib numbering = Material numbers
19. [OK]
Note: the elements of material 1 form the sand mold. The elements of material 2 form the steel casting. You can also plot the
elements showing materials in different colors without displaying the associated material numbers.
20. Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Numbering
21. (drop down) Numbering shown with = Colors only
22. [OK]
4. [OK]
5. Film coefficient = 0.014
6. Bulk temperature = 80
7. [OK]
8. Toolbar: SAVE_DB
6. [OK]
7. Utility Menu> Select> Everything Below> Selected Areas
8. Utility Menu> Plot> Nodes
21. Main Menu> Solution> Define Loads> Apply> Initial Condit'n> Define
22. [Pick All] to use all selected nodes.
23. Initial value of DOF = 80
24. [OK]
Remember to always select Everything again when you are finished selecting the nodes!
3.1.8.4. Step 11: Set time, time step size, and related parameters.
Stepped boundary conditions simulate the sudden contact of molten metal at 2875 oF with the mold at ambient temperature. The
program will choose automatic time stepping that will enable the time step size to be modified depending on the severity of nonlinearities
in the system (for example, it will take smaller time steps while going through the phase change). The maximum and minimum time step
sizes represent the limits for this automated procedure.
1. Main Menu> Solution> Load Step Opts> Time/Frequenc> Time-Time Step
2. Time at end of load step = 4
Note: This represents 4 hours.
3. Time step size = 0.01
4. (check) Stepped or ramped b. c. = Stepped
5. Minimum time step size = 0.001
6. Maximum time step size = 0.25
7. [OK]
The node at the center of the casting on the symmetry plane is the node of interest. Use a "get function" to define a variable equal
to the value of the node number at the location of interest (16,6,0). By using a variable to identify the node at the center point, the
analysis will be more flexible in that the center node will always be used even if the mesh, and therefore node numbers, change.
6. Utility Menu> Parameters> Scalar Parameters
7. Selection=cntr_pt = node (16,6,0)
8. [Accept}
Note the center point node number. This number can vary due to differences in the mesh.
9. [Close]
10. Main Menu> TimeHist Postproc
11. [+] to add data.
12. (double-click) Nodal Solution, then DOF Solution, then Temperature
13. Variable Name = center
14. [OK]
15. Type cntr_pt in the picker, then press Enter.
16. [OK] in the picker.
17. File> Close
Notice from this graph that the solidification region is approximately between 2643oF and 2750oF. Your graph may vary slightly.
But first, to perform an animation, you must enter the General Postprocessor and read the first set of results.
1. Main Menu> General Postproc> Read Results> First Set
2. Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Numbering
3. (check) Node numbers = Off
4. (drop down) Elem / Attrib numbering = No numbering
5. (drop down) Replot upon OK/Apply? = Do not replot
6. [OK]
7. Utility Menu> Plot> Elements
Graphics Window or you will run out of terminal memory. Although this depends on your particular system, and the size of the animation
file to be created, for this exercise it is suggested that the ratio of the original window size to the reduced window size should be about
2:1.]
Procedure on all systems:
1. Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Animate> Over Time
2. Number of animation frames = 30
3. (check) Auto contour scaling = Off
4. [OK]
During the animation, notice the three separate colors - red for temperatures greater than 2750 oF (molten steel), green for
temperatures between 2643 oF and 2750 oF (the "mushy" phase change region), and blue for temperatures below 2643 oF (the
solidified steel and the sand mold). As you would expect, the last region to solidify is the material at the center of the casting.
(Remember that a symmetry model was used.)
5. Make choices in the Animation Controller (not shown), if necessary, then [Close].
To visualize the temperature distribution throughout the model over the 4 hour span, animate the temperature distribution with the
default contour settings. To change the contour settings back to their default value, simply type /CVAL in the ANSYS Input
Window. Note that /CVAL is the command you used earlier to set non_uniform contours. The same outcome can be achieved by
going back to the Non_Uniform Contours window and setting all the values to zero.
9. Make choices in the Animation Controller (not shown), if necessary, then [Close].