Abstract
A model based on the multiphase Darcy’s law has been developed to simulate the void distribution and movement in a unidirectional fiber mat by introducing the concept of saturation during the filling stage of RTM. The model takes into account two immiscible fluids, resin and air, and two types of flow, the macro-flow around the fiber bundles and the micro-flow around the fibers in the bundles, flowing simultaneously. Results show that the voids form only in the wicking flow field and the saturation of resin will become equal to 1 everywhere if the resin is continuously filled. The range of void distribution is dependent on the porosity of fiber mats and inlet velocity. By dimensionless analysis, the capillarity is negligible and the saturation distribution is uniform within the fiber mats at high modified Weber numbers. The numerical simulation isbased on the body-fitted finite element method.
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