E-Thesis 90 views
Gas Flow Modelling and Validation for the Design of New Particulate Collection Systems in Laser Powder Bed Fusion / DANIEL BUTCHER
Swansea University Author: DANIEL BUTCHER
DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUthesis.66102
Abstract
This project aimed to create a reusable filter system that effectively removes fine metallic particles generated during the Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (LBPF) process, which would improve the sustainability of the manufacturing process and its environmental impact. The study investigated various ga...
| Published: |
Swansea, Wales, UK
2024
|
|---|---|
| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Doctoral |
| Degree name: | EngD |
| Supervisor: | Lavery, N.P. ; Brown, S.G.R |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa66102 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Abstract: |
This project aimed to create a reusable filter system that effectively removes fine metallic particles generated during the Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (LBPF) process, which would improve the sustainability of the manufacturing process and its environmental impact. The study investigated various gas-separation techniques, including magnetic and cyclone, to optimise particulate collec-tion systems in LBPF. Ultimately, the study chose the cyclone technique used with the existing disposable safe-change filter.The gas flow inside the system was simulated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, and the results were validated through experimental techniques. A 3D metallic printable cyclone system design was created specifically for a Renishaw AM500 LPBF machine, and the proposed cyclone design was manufactured using a Renishaw AM400 and assembled to a RenAM 500M for validation and testing.The study found that the proposed cyclone design was highly effective in capturing and re-moving micron and nano-sized particles generated during the LPBF process, and it extended the operating lifetime of the standard disposable safe-change filter by up to sixteen times. Adding an interchangeable lattice wall further improved the cyclone design by removing additional and smaller particle sizes. Another design variant with conformal cooling was also tested, and the re-sults showed that gas cooling by heat exchangers could reduce larger spatter particles.In summary, the optimised filter system for LBPF developed in this study has the potential to improve the sustainability of the manufacturing process and its environmental impact, as well as extend the lifetime and reduce the costs of existing filter systems. This would make LBPF a more competitive Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique, especially in key markets such as aerospace and medicine. Further testing of lattice design variations is needed, but this research represents a promising step towards improving the LBPF process. |
|---|---|
| Keywords: |
Additive Manufacturing, Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Gas-Solid Separation, CFD, Experimental Testing |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
M2A |