Author

Hande Akseki

Date of Award

10-2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Department

Materials Science and Engineering

Supervisor

Nikolas Provatas

Language

English

Abstract

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This thesis report the results of a simulation study of the melting kinetics of multiple, randomly distributed, steel scrap pieces. The model used is that previously developed by Li [Li, 2006]. The aim of this study was to better understand the universal features governing the kinetics of multi-piece scrap melting in a liquid pool. We observed the formation of a solidified shell and interfacial gap both in a single scrap piece as well as in randomly distributed multiple scrap melting cases. It is shown that the multiple scrap pieces agglomerate throughout the sample due to solidified shell formation.

The key factors affecting melting kinetics of a heat examined were: heat transfer coefficient, initial solid fraction, initial liquid (preheating) and solid temperatures, scrap size and thermal conductivity.

A scaling analysis of simulation data of melting kinetics was conducted, identifying suitable characteristic length and time scales through which the melting kinetics across different parameters and processing conditions could be scaled and thus understood in the context of a unified mathematical description.

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