Volume 20, Issue 6, 2011

Full Articles: STATE OF THE ART ON PERMEABILITY CHARACTERIZATION OF FIBROUS REINFORCEMENTS USED IN RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING PROCESS

Patiño, I.D.¹*, Vanegas,J.D.¹, Correa,C.E.²

¹Grupo de Materiales y Energía, Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano, Calle 54 A N^o 30-01, Medellín, Colombia

²Grupo de Tribología y Superficies, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 80 N^o 65-221 Medellín, Colombia

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: ivandavidpatino@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The physical and mathematical fundamentals that are required for the measurement of permeability of fibrous reinforcement used in Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and to interpret correctly the results of those experiments are considered in this article. The basic concepts of fluid dynamics through porous media applied to the analysis of the impregnation phenomena in fibre preforms are discussed. The principal assumptions to simplify the governing equations into the Darcy`s law are summarized in order to give an idea of some typical features of the permeability tests regarding the injection parameters and types of fluids and preforms used. Three important concepts for determining permeability in any direction for anisotropic preforms are introduced: permeability tensor (K<sub>ij</sub>), permeability ellipse and effective permeability (K<sub>eff</sub>). This paper also deals with the deduction, from Darcy`s law and Laplace Equation, of the basic equations used on the unidirectional and divergent radial permeability tests. The final conclusion remarks the importance of the concepts exposed in this work.

Keywords:Permeability, Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), Porous media, Darcy's law.