Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

We discuss mathematical models of capillary flow in complex geometries representative of the void spaces formed between fibers in a textile yarn. Moisture transport in textile yarns and fabrics is an important factor affecting physiological comfort. We have extended an existing analytical model for capillary flow in circular tubes to more complex geometries. We validate this model using detailed computational fluid dynamics simulations of this flow. These models are used to understand the effect of geometric and material parameters on moisture transport. In vertical wicking in a bundle of filaments, the model predicts that as the nonroundness of the filaments increases, or the void area between the filaments decreases, the maximum liquid height increases while the initial rate of penetration decreases.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Adler, M. M. , and Walsh, W. K. , Mechanisms of Transient Moisture Transport Between Fabrics, Textile Res. J. 54(5), 334–342 (1984).

2. Burgeni, A. A. , and Kapur, C. , Capillary Sorption Equilibria in Fiber Masses, Textile Res. J. 37(5), 356–366 (1967).

3. Denn, M. M. , “Process Fluid Mechanics,” Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1980.

4. Fortin, M. , Old and New Finite Elements for Incompressible Flows, Int. J. Num. Meth. Fluids 1, 347–364 (1981).

5. Hollies, N. R. , Kaessinger, M. M. , and Bogaty, H. , Water Transport Mechanisms in Textile Materials, Part I: The Role of Yarn Roughness in Capillary-type Penetration, Textile Res. J. 26(11), 829–835 (1956).

6. Hollies, N. R. , Kaessinger, M. M. , Watson, B. S. , and Bogaty, H. , Water Transport Mechanisms in Textile Materials, Part II: Capillary Type Penetration in Yarns and Fabrics, Textile Res. J. 27(1), 8–13 (1957)

7. Hsieh, Y. L. , Liquid Transport in Fabric Structures, Textile Res. J. 65(5), 299–307 (1995).

8. Kamath, Y. K. , Hornby, S. B. , Weigmann, H.-D. , and Wilde, M. F. , Wicking of Spin Finishes and Related Liquids into Continuous Filament Yarns, Textile Res. J. 64(1), 33–40 (1994).

9. Kissa, E. , Wetting and Wicking, Textile Res. J. 66(10), 660–668 (1996).

10.

10. Kistler, S. F. , and Scriven, L. E. , Coating Flows, in, “Computational Analysis of Polymer Processing,” J. R. A. Pearson and S. M. Richardson , Eds., Applied Science Publishers, NY, 1983, pp. 243–299.

11.

11. Laughlin, R. D. , and Davies, J. E. , Some Aspects of Capillary Adsorption in Fibrous Textile Wicking, Textile Res. J. 31(10), 904–910 (1961).

12.

12. Levine, S. , Lowndes, J. , Watson, E. J. , and Neale, G. , A Theory of Capillary Rise of a Liquid in a Vertical Cylindrical Tube and in a Parallel Plate Channel, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 73(1), 136–151 (1980).

13.

13. Lucas, R. , Ueber das zeitgesetz des kapillaren aufstiegs von flussigkeiten, Kolloid Z. 23(1), 15–22 (1918).

14.

14. Miller, C. , Predicting Non-Newtonian Flow Behavior in Ducts of Unusual Cross Section, Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam. 11(4), 524–528 (1972).

15.

15. Minor, F. W. , Schwartz, A. M. , Wilkow, E. A. , and Buckles, L. C. , The Migration of Liquids in Textile Assemblies, Part II: The Wicking of Liquids in Yarns, Textile Res. J. 31(12), 931–939 (1961).

16.

16. Reed, C. M. , and Wilson, N. , The Fundamentals of Absor-bency of Fibres, Textile Structures and Polymers, I: The Rate of Rise of a Liquid in Glass Capillaries, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 26(9), 1378–1381 (1993).

17.

17. Ruschak, K. J. , A Three-dimensional Linear Stability Analysis for Two-dimensional Free Boundary Flows by the Finite Element Method, Comp. Fluids 11(4), 391–401 (1983).

18.

18. Washburn, E. W. , The Dynamics of Capillary Flow, Phys. Rev. 17(3), 273–283 (1921).

19.

19. Woodcock, A. H. , Moisture Transfer in Textile Systems, Part II, Textile Res. J. 32(9), 719–722 (1962).

Modeling Capillary Flow in Complex Geometries

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References