Abstract
Solution blow spinning (SBS) is gaining popularity for producing fibres for smart textiles and energy harvesting due to its operational simplicity and high throughput. The whole SBS process is significantly dependent on the characteristics of the attenuation force, i.e., compressed air. Although variation in the fibre morphology with varying air input pressure has been widely investigated, there is no available literature on the experimentally determined flow characteristics. Here, we have experimentally measured and calculated airflow parameters, namely, output air pressure and velocity in the nozzle wake at 12 different pressure values between 1 and 6 bar and 11 different positions (retracted 5 mm to 30 mm) along the centreline. The results obtained in this work will answer many critical questions about optimum protrusion length for the polymer solution syringe and approximate mean fibre diameter for polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) at given output air pressure and velocity. The highest output air pressure and velocity were achieved at a distance of 3–5 mm away from the nozzle wake and should be an ideal location for the apex of the polymer solution syringe. We achieved 250 nm PVDF fibres when output air pressure and velocity were 123 kPa and 387 m/s, respectively.
Highlights
We have investigated the airflow field using a pitot tube and a manometer and compared the results with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results based on the k–ε turbulence model
Thethe central nozzle hole was blocked are in the experimental work andis simulations; comparison charts presented under the same work and simulations; the comparison charts presented are under the same along the centreline different input air CFD
We determined output air pressure and calculated air velocity and compared them with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results based on the k–ε turbulence model
Summary
SBS process is very simple since it mainly contains compressed air that passes through a nozzle and attenuates polymer solution droplet converting it into a fibre. Park and Reitz [6] employed a jet superposition modelling approach using an equation they derived based on the law of conservation of momentum and used that equation as a sub-grid-scale sub-model in a Lagrangian Drop–Eulerian Gas CFD model. They reported that when the angle of convergence increases, spray cross section becomes ellipsoidal, and the air entrainment becomes more conspicuous. The droplet size is an essential parameter in fibre spinning because it dictates the diameter of the produced fibre
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
