An improved computational method for non isothermal resin transfer moulding simulation

Abstract

The optimization in the simulation time of non-isothermal filling process without losing effectiveness remains a challenge in the resin transfer moulding process simulation. We are interested in this work on developing an improved computational approach based on finite element method coupled with control volume approach. Simulations can predict the position of the front of resin flow, pressure and temperature distribution at each time step. Our optimization approach is first based on the modification of conventional control volume/finite element method, then on the adaptation of the iterative algorithm of conjugate gradient to Compressed Sparse Row (CSR) storage scheme. The approach has been validated by comparison with available results. The proposed method yielded smoother flow fronts and reduced the error in the pressure and temperature pattern that plagued the conventional fixed grid methods. The solution accuracy was considerably higher than that of the conventional method since we could proceed in the mesh refinement without a significant increase in the computation time. Various thermal engineering situations can be simulated by using the developed code.