Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3105
Date of Award
6-2025
Degree Name
MS in Mechanical Engineering
Department/Program
Mechanical Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Richard Emberley
Advisor Department
Mechanical Engineering
Advisor College
College of Engineering
Abstract
Advances in additive manufacturing have enabled the creation of metallic components with tailored porosity, offering design flexibility for thermal, structural, and fluid transport applications. This thesis investigates the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of porous Inconel 625 (IN625) and Inconel-ceramic composites (IN625-RAM2) fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) using Elementum 3D’s PermiAM technology. Experimental measurements of thermal conductivity using the laser flash method are compared to numerical models built from micro-computed tomography data. Simulations were performed using both finite element (FE) and finite volume (FV) methods to evaluate thermal transport in real microstructures. The study investigates the effects of micro- and macro-scale structural features on ETC and shows that voxel-based FV modeling in PuMA can predict ETC within 3% of experimental values. Analytical models are also fit to experimental data to extend ETC predictions across a wider range of porosities. This work provides a framework for simulating the thermal performance of complex porous metals and supports future materials-by-design approaches targeting specific thermal properties in additively manufactured structures.
Included in
Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Commons, Other Engineering Science and Materials Commons, Other Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Other Mechanical Engineering Commons