Learning Forum

[eufrat]

Hi,

well, my question is  already in the title..

I am working on a simulation of the impregnation of carbon fibers with resin. 

Simple planar geometry, the fibers are only represented by four rigid walls.

I would like to give these rigid walls a material property. This way, I could define the interaction between my phase resin and the fibers, especially regarding adhesion through surface tension, I hope so at least.

Is there a way to do this? I assume it is not, because I did not found something like this on the internet. But I thought I might better ask..

In the case that it is not possible to do this, the only way to define physical interaction between the fibers and the resin would be a Fluid Structure Interaction, right? There I could model the fibers as solid carbon fibers. 

A FSI is not really an option at the moment, the computational effort is already quite big with my simple planar model. Are there any other ways?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

eufrat

[Karthik R]

Hi,

When you mean by 'give rigid walls a material property', do you want to somehow model the deformation of fibers due to the resin? Like absorption of resin into the fibers or deformation of fibers itself? The only way I know to have interfacial interaction near is wall in Fluent is through the options listed in the 'interaction panel' and 'wall adhesion' listed in the wall boundary condition panel. You can although specify either static or dynamic contact angle (through UDF).

Having said that, I do not completely understand your thought on 'modeling the fibers as solid carbon fibers'. I guess what I am trying to understand is: how different would it be if you model this as a FSI problem.

Other users: please feel free to chime in if you have anything more to add / correct.

Thank you.

Best Regards,

Karthik

[eufrat]

Hi Karthik,

no, deformation or stresses don´t interest me in this simulation. But I would like to define surface tension between my fibers and the resin. But in "phase interaction", you can only define that between materials which are present in the simulation. Since my fibers are rigid walls and therefore have no material property, I can´t define this interaction between the fibers and the resin.

In a FSI, i could model the fibers as what they are, carbon fibers. This way, it might be possible to define this kind of interaction. But I don´t know this as a fact. I tried to set up this as a FSI a few months ago, but it didn´t even start and I decided to focus on this 2D planar model approach.

Thank you for your answer!

Greetings

eufrat