Characterization of corner and edge permeabilities during mold filling in resin transfer molding
- Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)
During the fiber preform lay-up in an RTM mold, air cavities or other regions of high porosity are set up near the edges and corners of the mold and the inserts within the mold. Such high porosity regions offer the injected resin least flow resistance, causing the resin flow front to flow much faster in these regions, this effect is generally known as racetracking. Numerical simulations to model RTM can account for the effects of racetracking once one can specify the permeability or the resistance to flow in these regions. A systematic experimental study was conducted in a 1-dimensional mold to investigate the role of air gap, preform type, volume fraction and process and material parameters on flow. Experimental flow fronts were matched with numerical flow fronts at all times during filling, by adjusting the permeability values for the edge elements in the numerical simulation. This allowed us to construct a phenomenological model for permeability in an air gap, as a function of air gap size, preform fiber volume fraction, and preform material.
- OSTI ID:
- 175133
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950686--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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