A 2D filling and solidification benchmark test: validating smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations for sand gravity casting

The simulation of the sand gravity casting process is complicated due to its multiscale and multiphysics nature. Although there are many commercial software options available, it remains extremely difficult to accurately predict the filling, solidification, and defects such as oxidation. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a Lagrangian simulation approach that is particularly well-suited for modeling the gravity casting process. To validate the results of the filling, cooling, and solidification steps of the SPH method, it is interesting to introduce and design a 3D universal experimental test case of the gravity casting process that can be modeled in 2D. This universal test case is developed so that the hydrodynamic filling process can be analyzed in 2D while the cooling and solidification processes can be investigated in 1D. After comparing ProCAST, a commercial 3D mesh-based software, with the 2D SPH method, the results highlight the unique advantages of each approach in analyzing filling step and temperature evolution. The SPH simulations are better at capturing the essential aspects of fluid motion.