Heat and Mass Transfer in Materials Processing and Manufacturing

This review paper focuses on the heat and mass transfer mechanisms that form the basis for many materials processing and manufacturing systems. It is critical to link the basic thermal process with the manufactured product to improve existing manufacturing systems and develop new ones. The approaches that may be adopted to study these processes and their effect on the product are discussed. Of particular interest are practical aspects such as feasibility, product quality, optimal operating conditions, and production rate that are often governed by thermal issues. Many complexities arise in the modeling of the transport phenomena, as well as in experimentation. These are discussed, along with important techniques that may be employed. Several important processes are discussed to present characteristic results and solution strategies. The field is quite extensive and only a few important processes can be considered in detail. Validation of the model is crucial and is based on existing results, as well as on experimental systems specially developed for satisfactory validation. The coupling between the micro/nanoscale transport processes that affect product characteristics and the conditions imposed at the system level are discussed. The current status, future trends, and research needs, regarding new and emerging materials, processes, and applications, are also outlined. It is seen that there is critical need to understand the basic mechanisms that determine changes in the material due to thermal effects, to assess the impact on the overall field of materials processing.