INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS PUBLISHING MODELLING AND SIMULATION IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 11 (2003) 635–649 PII: S0965-0393(03)63609-0 Numerical simulation of macrostructure formation in centrifugal casting of particle reinforced metal matrix composites. Part 1: model description Ludmil Drenchev 1 , Jerzy Sobczak 2 , Savko Malinov 3 and Wei Sha 3 1 Institute of Metal Science, 67 Shipchensky Prohod St., 1574 Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Foundry Research Institute, 73 Zakopianska St., 30-418 Krakow, Poland 3 Queen’s University of Belfast, School of Civil Engineering, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK E-mail: ljudmil.d@ims.bas.bg, sobczak@iod.krakow.pl and s.malinov@qub.ac.uk Received 12 March 2003, in final form 18 May 2003 Published 16 June 2003 Online at stacks.iop.org/MSMSE/11/635 Abstract This paper discusses the processing, modelling and macrostructure manage- ment of centrifugally cast particle reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs). Centrifugal casting is a widely applied method for production of graded MMCs. A three-dimensional comprehensive mathematical model coupling particle movement and thermal conduction in the casting/mould system is developed. A formula for pressure in liquid metal during the centrifuge process is derived. The influence of Coriolis force on particle movement is discussed in detail. Nomenclature A,B,C 1 ,C 2 constants C m ,C c eff heat capacity (J m −3 K −1 ) C D shape coefficient c, c m ,c eff specific heat (J kg −1 K −1 ) d,d 0 thickness of solidified layer (m) E = (E x ,E y ,E z ) mass force (N) E G = (E G x ,E G y ,E G z ) gravity mass force (N) E R rotational component of the mass force (N) F R centrifugal force (N) F G force due to gravity (N) F S drag force (N) F B buoyant force (N) F C Coriolis force (N) f L relative mass fraction of liquid in two-phase zone g gravity acceleration (m s −2 ) 0965-0393/03/040635+15$30.00 © 2003 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK 635