| The resin film infusion (RFI) has been identified as a cost-effective fabrication technique for manufacturing large geometrically complex structural components. Since the RFI process involves the resin infiltration and cure of composites, the associated physics encompasses a moving boundary value problem in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary study of flow/thermal/cure.This investigation developed a two-dimensional resin film infusion process simulation model based on the material science, mechanics and chemistry science, using conversation of momentum, energy and mass equation and cure kinetics equation. The formulation for the flow model is given using the finite element/control volume (FE/CV) technique based on Darcy's Law of creeping flow through a porous media. The heat transfer model is based on the two-dimensional, transient heat conduction equation, including heat generation. The cure kinetics model is based on Kamal's model, and the degree of the resin cure as a function of temperature and time. A Fortran code was developed based on the models, and it can be used to simulate both infiltration of resin into a textile perform and cure of the resin saturated perform. A single blade stiffened panel was simulated using the two-dimensional RFI process model. For a specified compaction and temperature cure cycle, the model was used to predict the resin flow front, the pressure distribution and temperature profile of the assembly, which can be used to optimize the RFI process.The theory and simulation techniques established in the paper is not only instructive for the low cost composite molding technology, but also is significant for the intersect development of material science and mechanics. |
