A hybrid smoothed-particle hydrodynamics model of oxide skins on molten aluminum.

A computational model of aluminum melting is proposed which captures both the thermal fluid-solid phase transition and the mechanical effects of oxidation. The model hybridizes ideas from smoothed particle hydrodynamics and bonded particle models to simulate both hydrodynamic flows and solid elasticity. Oxidation is represented by dynamically adding and deleting spring-like bonds between surface fluid particles to represent the formation and rupture of the oxide skin. Various complex systems are simulated to demonstrate the adaptability of the method and to illustrate the significant impact of skin properties on material flow. Initial comparison to experiments of a melting aluminum cantilever highlights that the computational model can reproduce key qualitative features of aluminum relocation. • A computational model of a thin elastic skin is used to model oxidation in molten aluminum. • A hybrid particle-based framework is used to capture both solid and fluid mechanics. • The importance of oxide skin material properties in the transport of molten aluminum is demonstrated. • Simulations reproduce key qualitative features of experiments of melting cantilevers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]