Numerical Simulation of Density and Temperature Evolution in Alumina Compacts

Reference	Presenter	Authors (Institution)	Abstract
12-034	Dachamir Hotza	de Oliveira, V.d.(Federal University of Santa Catarina); Hotza, D.(Federal University of Santa Catarina); González, S.Y.(Federal University of Santa Catarina);	Sintering is the process where powder particles coalesce due to heating, which is the crucial step in materials manufacturing from powders. Previous research on sintering brought useful knowledge to understand the material behaviour. However, the densification trend in sintering can vary remarkably when parameters such as temperature, time, powder size or initial density are different. Those dependences can be tackled using a semi-empirical model recently developed in our group. Notwithstanding, for larger pieces, thermal gradients within the sample requires the simultaneous assessment of heat and densification. In this work, sintering was modelled using the finite volume method to study the thermal gradients, shrinkage and density evolution of alumina samples. The simulation comprises a homogeneous and isotropic slice of alumina, subjected to pressureless heating considering a continuous density change within the model. The simulation results were compared and discussed regarding the sample shape, geometrical dimensions and literature data.
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