Two-dimensional simulation of liquid metal spray deposition onto a complexsurface

In this paper we present the results of the modelling of the spraying of li quid metal which solidifies on an arbitrary surface and of the subsequent g rowth of the deposit. The new, two-dimensional continuous model consists of a definition of the source involved in the spraying process, the kinetics of points on an arbitrary substrate, including their visibility and the spr ay's sticking efficiency, and the redefinition of a new surface on the comp letion of every iteration step. A simple merging procedure is developed to reconnect parts of a curve which become too close during spraying. This pro cedure produces closed voids, called macro pores, in the deposited material . The model can also predict porosity distribution in the deposited materia l, defined here as a continuous function of the spray's parameters. The mod el has been applied in several cases when a spray's parameters were varied, the most important parameter being the spraying angle. The influence of th is parameter on shape evolution was determined. The porosity distribution f unction was calculated for every set of input parameters, and its relations hip to the shape evolution was established. With these results one can pred ict the running strategy in real experiments, in order to optimize the fill ing efficiency for filling of different initial shapes with sprayed materia l and to minimize the forming of macro pores.