Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Analysis of Efficiency of Laser Ablation of Aluminum By Modeling of Plume Shielding Effect

Hanich, Maxwell James
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595509756016075

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science in Engineering, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering.
This research concentrates on the development of a computational model to better understand the laser ablation of aluminum. When a laser interacts with its target, a plume consisting of gaseous target material, solid particles and droplets, and plasma is generated and limits the efficiency of successive laser pulses. This process is known as shielding of laser pulses by ablated multi-phase plumes. The amount of laser energy to reach the target is a function of properties of previously ejected plumes. Most existing work regarding the nanosecond-scale laser ablation of aluminum focuses on results of physical experiments. Benefits of computational models include cost reduction as well as the ability to test a wider range of plume and target characteristics. The commercially available software, ANSYS Fluent, is used to model this process. The development of a computational model of the laser ablation of water vapor appears first in the Thesis. The plausibility of using Fluent to simulate this process and the results produced are validated by comparison to published experimental data and prior computational analysis. Results are first confirmed using the generation of a single plume of material, followed by ejecting multiple plumes, stemming from multiple laser pulses. The shielding process is successfully implemented into Fluent. After validation, the model is adapted to analyze the laser ablation of aluminum. Aluminum is one of the most widely used materials in industry today and a better understanding of how to best manipulate this material could lead to industrial process improvements. Aluminum is a major structural material in air vehicles and laser weapons are explored to penetrate vehicle surfaces. Additional complications arising from aluminum ablation include the incredibly complex nature of aluminum multi-phase plume characteristics at high temperatures, such as density, pressure, and degree of ionization. Ablated plume properties must be approximated based on published experimental results to predict plume dynamics and target evolution. The current analysis utilizes a variety of test settings to better understand what conditions maximize ablation efficiency. Each test case is analyzed with respect to how effectively target material is removed with respect to the applied laser.
Alex Povitsky (Advisor)
Yalin Dong (Committee Member)
Scott Sawyer (Committee Member)
153 p.
Fluid Dynamics; Mechanical Engineering
Laser Ablation; Aluminum Ablation; Plume Shielding Effect; Laser Plasma Absorption; Laser Particle Absorption; Computational Fluid Dynamics;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hanich, M. J. (2020). Analysis of Efficiency of Laser Ablation of Aluminum By Modeling of Plume Shielding Effect [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595509756016075

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hanich, Maxwell. Analysis of Efficiency of Laser Ablation of Aluminum By Modeling of Plume Shielding Effect. 2020. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595509756016075.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hanich, Maxwell. "Analysis of Efficiency of Laser Ablation of Aluminum By Modeling of Plume Shielding Effect." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595509756016075

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1595509756016075
776
© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12