A fast computational model to the simulation of non‐isothermal mold filling process in resin transfer molding

Abstract

International audienceThe numerical simulation of mass and heat transfer model for the curing stage of the resin transfer molding (RTM) process is known as a useful method to analyze the process before the mold is actually built. Despite the intense interest in the modeling and simulation of this process, the relevant work is currently limited to development of flow models during filling stage. Optimization of non-isothermal mold filling simulation time without losing the efficiency remains an important challenge in RTM process. These were some reasons that motivate our work; namely the interested on the amelioration of the performance of RTM simulation code in term of execution time and memory space occupation. Our approach is accomplished in two steps; first by the modification of the control volume/ finite element method (CV/FEM) and second by the implementation in the modified code of an adapted conjugate gradient algorithm to the compressed sparse row storage scheme. The validity of our approach is evaluated with analytical results and excellent agreement was found. The results show that our optimization strategy leads to maximum reduction in time and space memory. This allows one to deal with problems with great and complex dimensions mostly encountered in RTM application field, without interesting in the constraint of space or time

Optimization method to reduce three‐dimensional thermal gradients in resin transfer molding

“…Meanwhile, the mathematical model is established directly by measuring the viscosity and curing degree parameters. The engineering model has few parameters and its establishment is simple, so it is widely used in numerical simulation of molding …”

“…In order to improve the manufacturing efficiency of RTM, the mold and injection resin are heated to maintain resin viscosity at a lower value so as to promote resin flow in filling process and shorten curing period in curing process. Therefore, the process of RTM is nonisothermal and temperature plays an important role in the whole process . Moreover, the curing reaction of resin is exothermic and sensitive to temperature .…”

Nonisothermal simulation on pressure during resin transfer molding

“…Abbassi and Shahnazari introduced a numerical simulation for 2D nonisothermal RTM process. Saad et al . proposed a fast numerical simulation model for nonisothermal RTM.…”

“…Abbassi and Shahnazari 11 introduced a numerical simulation for 2D nonisothermal RTM process. Saad et al 12 proposed a fast numerical simulation model for nonisothermal RTM. Shi and Dong 13 and Shojaei et al 14,15 introduced the mathematical model and numerical simulation methods for 3D nonisothermal RTM process.…”

Optimization method to select temperature based on chemorheological and exothermal reaction of RTM

“…In the RTM process, heating mold and resin can effectively reduce resin viscosity, thereby reducing mold pressure and improving injection efficiency . However, the resin is obviously affected by temperature .…”