Assessment of the Slope and Cross-Section of In-Gate on the Pressure and Flow Pattern Using Finite Volume Method

In this investigation, the effect of gaiting system geometry during sand casting process has been studied. Sand erosion is one of the most important defects, which is caused due to the incorrect design of the gaiting system. In this study, a thin plate bench-mark was designed, and the pressure field was simulated for the cases of different slopes and cross-sections of the in-gate using Finite Volume Method (FVM). The dimensionless pressure parameter Cinp for the in-gate was calculated with the help of the simulation results. In the second stage, aluminium was molded in a sand mold with a Pyrex glass face. Then, the sand erosion phenomenon was examined using the photography technique, and through machining the upper surface of the aluminum thin plate. The results indicated that the maximum sand erosion during the casting process occurred for the in-gates having the slopes of 56 or 71 degree with a cross section experiencing a reduction of 25% from the initial cross-section.