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Numerical Simulation of Powder Flow-Melt Pool Coupling in Laser Cladding Process.

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Title: Numerical Simulation of Powder Flow-Melt Pool Coupling in Laser Cladding Process.
Authors: Wang, Tao1 (AUTHOR), Wang, CuiFeng1 (AUTHOR), Liao, XiaoLing1 (AUTHOR) 110587@fjpit.edu.cn
Source: Journal of Materials Engineering & Performance. May2026, Vol. 35 Issue 17, p17315-17331. 17p.
Subjects: Computational fluid dynamics, Level set methods, Laser deposition, Granular flow, Computer simulation, Heat transfer, Marangoni effect
Abstract: Laser cladding involves complex powder-gas-light coupling during powder feeding and heat/mass transfer during molten pool formation. Existing numerical studies typically treat these stages separately, limiting predictive accuracy when powder flow parameters vary. This study presents a coupled numerical framework that explicitly links powder flow characteristics to molten pool dynamics through physics-based source terms. Computational fluid dynamics simulations of the powder flow field were conducted across varying jet velocities (16–18 m/s) and laser powers (1000–1300 W). From these results, empirical Gaussian distribution equations were derived to describe powder concentration (r2 = 0.9948), temperature (r2 = 0.7889), and velocity (r2 = 0.9232) distributions. These equations serve as spatially resolved mass, energy, and momentum source terms for the molten pool model, which employs the Level-Set method for interface tracking and accounts for Marangoni convection. Experimental validation using high-speed imaging and infrared thermography demonstrates strong agreement: cladding layer height predictions achieve errors ≤ 5%, temperature distributions match within experimental uncertainty, and flow patterns align with observed molten pool morphology. The validated model reveals that jet velocity primarily controls powder concentration and cladding height, while laser power dominates temperature gradients and Marangoni-driven convection intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:Laser cladding involves complex powder-gas-light coupling during powder feeding and heat/mass transfer during molten pool formation. Existing numerical studies typically treat these stages separately, limiting predictive accuracy when powder flow parameters vary. This study presents a coupled numerical framework that explicitly links powder flow characteristics to molten pool dynamics through physics-based source terms. Computational fluid dynamics simulations of the powder flow field were conducted across varying jet velocities (16–18 m/s) and laser powers (1000–1300 W). From these results, empirical Gaussian distribution equations were derived to describe powder concentration (r2 = 0.9948), temperature (r2 = 0.7889), and velocity (r2 = 0.9232) distributions. These equations serve as spatially resolved mass, energy, and momentum source terms for the molten pool model, which employs the Level-Set method for interface tracking and accounts for Marangoni convection. Experimental validation using high-speed imaging and infrared thermography demonstrates strong agreement: cladding layer height predictions achieve errors ≤ 5%, temperature distributions match within experimental uncertainty, and flow patterns align with observed molten pool morphology. The validated model reveals that jet velocity primarily controls powder concentration and cladding height, while laser power dominates temperature gradients and Marangoni-driven convection intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:10599495
DOI:10.1007/s11665-025-12845-4