Resin Impregnation During the Manufacturing of Composite Materials Subject to Prescribed Injection Rate

A numerical investigation into the area of resin impregnation during the manufacturing of composite materials is undertaken using a macroscopic flow through porous media ap proach. This study is specifically directed at modeling the resin transfer molding and resin film stacking advanced composite manufacturing processes. Quasi-steady state isothermal flow is assumed and a two-dimensional Darcy Law based stream function formulation is utilized. The resultant single governing equation for each quasi-steady timestep is solved along with proper boundary conditions using the method of boundary-fitted coordinate systems encompassing numerical grid generation. The resultant code is validated by a comparison with previously published results for flow into a rectangular mold with a point source and a line sink. Streamlines, pressure distributions, velocity profiles, and temporal liquid free surface positions are then presented for the flow into a mold of general irregular geometry encasing both isotropic and anisotropic fibrous preforms.

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