Numerical analysis of gas-dynamic instabilities during the laser drilling process

The use of high-pressure gas jets in the laser-drilling process has significant influence on the melt ejection mechanism. These jets are highly unstable and this directly relates to the gas pressure and the geometry of the hole being drilled. The evolution of gas-dynamic instabilities during the laser-drilling process was investigated numerically. A minimum length nozzle (MLN) with a 300 mu m throat diameter was modelled at various gas pressures, with the gas jet impinging on a range of simulated holes with different aspect ratios. The simulations predict the formation of surface pressure fluctuations that have a broad spectrum due to both the turbulent nature of the jet and the blunt shock oscillation on the surface. The surface pressure variations and the blunt shock oscillation govern the gas dynamic conditions inside the hole, which strongly influence the melt ejection phenomena during the laser-drilling process. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.