DIYALA JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES

Abstract

ABSTRACT:- The heat transfer process involved in the curing of fiber-reinforced thermosetting composites is investigated numerically. This composite is made of woven fiber and resin and placed in a cylindrical mould. The governing equation for one dimensional heat transfer, and accounting for the heat generation due to the exothermic cure reaction in the composites had been used. A finite element method is developed to solve the mathematical model problems for composites manufacturing. The solution of the complete mathematical system gives, both, the temperature and the degree of reaction as functions of time and position. It was found that the temperature at the central of the sample increases up to the external imposed temperature, because of the thermal conductivity of the resin and fiber. The heat generated by the exothermic reaction of the resin is not adequately removed; the increase in the temperature at the center increases the resins rate reaction, which in turn generates more heat.
Keywords:- Mathematical model, curing, epoxy resin, cylindrical mould