Numerical study of dendritic growth during solidification using front-tracking method

Abstract

A two dimensional front-tracking method is developed in order to model dendritic growth during solidification processes of pure substances. The method uses a sequential set of moving marker points to describe and track the liquid-solid interface which evolves over a fixed background mesh describing the whole medium. The code behaviour is first checked by a simple stable case of solidification to provide homogeneous velocity at the interface. Then, test examples of unstable solidification cases considering different modes of anisotropy are performed. Finally, interface evolution, with primary and secondary branches, is described, showing the ability of the code to study realistic dendritic growth characteristics.