FINITE-ELEMENT METHOD ANALYSIS OF 3-DIMENSIONAL CAKE GROWTH DURING SLIP CASTING

Slip casting behavior of a cylindrical body was analyzed by FEM (finit e element method). Based on the assumption that the cake is uniform an d incompressible, Laplace equation for liquid pressure can be derived. Cake growth per unit time was calculated by a sequential combination of the Laplace equation, Darcy's law and mass balances, The profile of solid front (the interface between cake and slurry) changed with time from a cylindrical curve to a parabolic one. This three dimensional p rofile can be attributed to the interaction of filtration to the botto m and side-wall directions in the cylindrical mold. In the early stage of slip casting, the results of numerical analysis were in reasonable coincidence with the profiles experimentally obtained, It was shown t hat FEM simulation is valuable for prediction of three-dimensional cak e growth which cannot be expressed by one-dimensional analytical appro aches.