Numerical implementation and experimental validation of a through-the-thickness temperature model for non-isothermal vacuum bagging infusion

Abstract

Non-isothermal infusion processes can suffer from inhomogeneous cure, causing undesirable residual stresses or deformations. Heat transfer phenomena have been thoroughly described for double sided, rigid mold infusion but are still less explored for single sided, rigid mold infusion such as vacuum bagging techniques. In this study, an analytical through-the-thickness temperature gradient model derived for resin transfer molding is proposed and implemented numerically. An experimental validation study has been performed using representative set-ups of typical vacuum bagging processes. The results demonstrate that the analytical model can reproduce the through-the-thickness temperature gradient of the tests with good accuracy despite its simplified thermal problem description and numerical implementation.

Simulation of non-isothermal resin transfer molding process cycle and optimization of temperature system

“…The volume of fluid (VOF) module in FLUENT software can be used to simulate the two-phase flow. The software itself can solve equation 1to equation 11; we need to write code to solve equations (12) to (14).…”

“…Gascons et al. 14 proposed a through-the-thickness temperature model for RTM filling process. Park et al.…”

“…Tan and Pillai 13 considered the resin micro flow and established a two-scale mathematical model for non-isothermal filling stage. Gascons et al 14 proposed a through-the-thickness temperature model for RTM filling process. Park et al 15 used the finite element method to simulation the curing process of RTM.…”

Nonisothermal simulation on pressure during resin transfer molding

“…Tan and Pillai established a two‐scale mathematical model for nonisothermal RTM filling stage. Gascons considered the temperature distribution in the thickness direction and proposed a through‐the‐thickness temperature numerical simulation model for RTM process. Yi et al .…”

Effect of process parameters on the surface quality of air cushion method

“…One is the Seemann's composite resin infusion molding process which uses a highpermeable medium (HPM) on the preform, and the other is the channel in the core method where the channels are cut into the core section of a sandwich structure. Grujicic et al, 16 Johnson and Pitchumani, 17 and Gascons et al 18 investigated the nonisothermal filling condition and thus the preform infiltration was improved.…”