Pultrusion process simulation - modelling of the injection and impregnation chamber

This work describes the modelling of the injection and impregnation chamber in a closed pultrusion process. The described materials are a highly reactive thermoplastic resin and glass fibres. The developed method is based on continuous fluid dynamics and implemented in an open source framework. By the application of a finite volume approach, insights are gained on injection of reactive thermoplastic resin, flow patterns of the resin and resin reaction, each as a function of time. The fibrous domain is modelled as porous medium. Pure resin areas are considered where the chamber geometry is not completely filled out by fibres. Flow patterns include flow recirculation and dead zones with stagnating flow that arise in the pure resin areas. Dead zones imply the build-up of deposits due to advancing resin reaction. Location of simulated deposits matches tendentially with experimental findings. The developed method also allows for qualitative simulation of the shutdown of pultrusion process.