polymerjournals Chemistry, materials, technology
Polymers and Polymer Composites

MICRO-GEOMETRY MODELING BASED ON MONTE CARLO AND PERMEABILITY PREDICTION OF YARN

March 1, 2014 By: Bo Yang; Tianguo Jin Research article

Title: MICRO-GEOMETRY MODELING BASED ON MONTE CARLO AND PERMEABILITY PREDICTION OF YARN
Page Range: p.253-260
Author(s): Bo Yang; Tianguo Jin
File size:
Download the pdf (subscribers only)
Buy the pdf (non-subscribers)
Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 22
Issue No: No. 3

Abstract
In order to simulate the resin filling process of Liquid Composite Modelling (LCM) such as Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) effectively, the permeability tensor field of preform is needed to be predicted accurately in advance. In the several existing micro-permeability prediction models, the fibres are assumed to be regularly arranged (quadratic or hexagonal) to simplify the flow analysis, they all ignore the randomness of the fibre distribution in yarn. The micro-permeability is a preform property depending strongly on the preform’s micro-geometry, so building the micro-geometry close to the real structure is significant to predict the micro-permeability of preform. In this work, we present a Monte Carlo moving method to obtain the fibre random distribution on the front and rear cross sections of yarn segment, then build the geometry model of the yarn segment, adjust the centre path line of fibre model by Bezier method, establish the micro-geometry model of yarn close to the real structure containing both axial and radial random factors. The micro-geometry model consisting of ~100 fibres is built using the mentioned method, the fibre volume fraction varies from 0.15 to 0.90, and CFD simulations are carried out to determine their permeability values. The results show that compared to the regular fibre arrays, the disordered fibre arrays have a greater axial permeability, and two special transverse flow effects emerged as the disorder of fibre distribution, named local channelling effect and local obstructing effect. Relative to the theory predicted transverse permeability, the simulated permeability increases in the high porosity yarn as the channelling effect dominates the liquid flow, vice versa, the simulated permeability decreases in the low porosity yarn since the obstructing effect dominates the liquid flow, the simulation results agree well with the experimental ones, indicating the validity of the micro-geometry modelling method. 14 Refs.

Related reading

More journal reading and science coverage connected to this topic.