Publications

Wetting and free surface flow modeling for potting and encapsulation

Adolf, Douglas B.; Castaneda, Jaime N.; Kraynik, Andrew M.; Noble, David R.; Sun, Amy C.; Cote, Raymond O.; Grillet, Anne M.; Notz, Patrick N.; Brooks, Carlton F.; Givler, R.C.; Hopkins, Matthew M.; Mondy, L.A.; Rao, Rekha R.

As part of an effort to reduce costs and improve quality control in encapsulation and potting processes the Technology Initiative Project ''Defect Free Manufacturing and Assembly'' has completed a computational modeling study of flows representative of those seen in these processes. Flow solutions are obtained using a coupled, finite-element-based, numerical method based on the GOMA/ARIA suite of Sandia flow solvers. The evolution of the free surface is solved with an advanced level set algorithm. This approach incorporates novel methods for representing surface tension and wetting forces that affect the evolution of the free surface. In addition, two commercially available codes, ProCAST and MOLDFLOW, are also used on geometries representing encapsulation processes at the Kansas City Plant. Visual observations of the flow in several geometries are recorded in the laboratory and compared to the models. Wetting properties for the materials in these experiments are measured using a unique flowthrough goniometer.