Steam impinging and heat and water spreading in fabrics

Abstract

This study is about the heat and mass transport phenomena in a system with steam jet flow to eliminate/alleviate cloth wrinkles. We first adopted a theoretical approach to derive the mean capillary radii so that a fabric can be characterized as an assembly of capillary tubes with varying diameters. We then analyzed the processes as a heat transfer via the fibers and water via the pores in fabrics of different anisotropies. During water movement, the water weight actually intensifies the inherent anisotropy of the fabric in the water flow pattern. For heat transfer, the water weight becomes irrelevant and both convection and radiation are shown to be too trivial to include. Corresponding experiments are also conducted, using infrared and visible light cameras to record the heat and water flow processes, respectively. The results are compared with the theoretical predictions and the discrepancies are explored and explained.

Capillary pressure–saturation curves of thin hydrophilic fibrous layers: effects of overburden pressure, number of layers, and multiple imbibition–drainage cycles

“…Thin nonwoven fabrics have many applications, such as for use in hygiene products, clothes, filters, and fuel cells. [1][2][3][4][5][6] The hydraulic characteristics of a thin fibrous layer have great impact on the performance of fibrous products. Knowledge of the hydraulic properties of thin fabrics is hence essential for optimizing the performance of these products.…”