Product Code: ICA13_408

2D Modeling of Surface Tension Effect During Laser Metal Cutting
Authors:
El-Hachemi Amara, Centre for Development of Advanced Technologies; Algiers Algeria
Karim Kheloufi, Centre for Development of Avanced Technologies; Algiers Algeria
Toufik Tamsaout, Centre for Development of Advanced Technologies; Algiers Algeria
Presented at ICALEO 2013

The physical mechanisms occurring during laser metal cutting are widely studied with the aim to optimize the cutting process by acting on the operating parameters, in order to remove or reduce cutting defects such as striations and dross.
During cutting, the laser beam heats up and melts the workpiece, while an intense gas jet is adjusted coaxially to the beam in order to remove the molten material. The gas may be chemically inert, or reactive gas such as the oxygen that serves also as additional heat source which enhances the combustion at the cutting front.
We develop a theoretical approach based on experimental operating data, with the aim to simulate the molten material movements under the effect of the laser beam and the gas jet, under normal atmospheric conditions. A 2D numerical modeling is developed to investigate the surface tension effect on the metallic film behavior. We deal with a multiphase problem, where where the air-liquid metal interface is submitted to the gas jet effect. The interface is tracked by implementation of the Volume Of Fluid method through Fluent CFD code. A gaussian beam shape profile, as well as a tophat one are used in our simulations.