Patent ID: 8355894

Claim:
A system to predict casting defects and microstructures of a part comprising: an information input configured to receive information relating to at least one of a temperature distribution during solidification, a hydrostatic pressure distribution after mold fill, a part geometry model, material, melt quality, and thermodynamic database; an information output configured to convey information relating to at least one of a size, volume percent, and distribution of casting defects and microstructures of a part predicted by the system; a processing unit; and a computer-readable medium comprising a computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable medium cooperative with the processing unit, the information input, and the information output such that the information input is operated upon by the processing unit and computer-readable program code to be presented to the information output as the information relating to the size, volume percent, or distribution of casting defects and microstructures predicted by the system, the computer-readable program code comprising a casting defects and microstructure modeling module: wherein the casting defects and microstructure modeling module simulates the casting defects in the part, the microstructure of the part, or both using an integrated pore growth and interdendritic flow model; and wherein the casting defects and microstructure modeling module simulates the casting defects in the part, the microstructure of the part, or both using the following equation u = - K μ ⁢ ( P 0 - P b H riser - ρ l ⁢ g ) ( 21 ) where u is the superficial velocity vector; K is the permeability; μ the viscosity; ρ 1 the liquid density; g is the gravity vector; P 0 is the atmospheric pressure at the top of the riser; P b is the pressure at the boundary; and H riser is the height of the riser.