Multi-physics coupling numerical simulation of variable porosity in reactive melt infiltration process

Abstract The hypersonic craft necessitates significant advancements in thermal shielding to safeguard against the extreme aero-thermal environments encountered during flight at hypersonic speeds in near space or upon reentry from space. Carbon fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (FRCMCs) have attracted increasingly interesting attention as advanced structural materials for application in thermal protection. The reactive melt infiltration (RMI) process is preferred for the preparation of FRCMCs because of its low cost and short processing time. However, the RMI process includes the complex interplay of melt flow, reaction dynamics, and thermal fields, with existing models failing to accurately predict these processes due to their uncoupled nature and neglect of pore structure changes. This study introduces a coupled model that integrates mass transfer flow, chemical reaction, and heat transfer, incorporating variable pore structures to more accurately evaluate the RMI process. This approach allows for a comprehensive assessment of internal pressure, temperature, and porosity changes during silicon infiltration into porous media, marking an improvement over the previous model. The model has been validated for use in predicting the exotherm of RMI processes. In conclusion, this coupled model presents a promising avenue for enhancing the fabrication of FRCMCs, either considering the melt infiltration from multiple locations in the RMI process or adjusting the pore structure at the infiltration location to larger pores.