A Unified Approach to Modeling Resin Flow During Composite Processing

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Abstract
This paper derives the models for resin flow during composite processing in terms of Darcy's Law applying a unified approach. It shows that the resin flow models for bleeder ply molding or autoclave processing [1-3], pultrusion [4], and resin transfer molding [5-6] are special cases of a generalized theory. Theoretical predictions are com pared with experimental data available in the literature. Relevant new physics regarding the effects of capillarity and relative permeability on the flow of resin during resin transfer molding (RTM) is presented. Finally, the cause of the discrepancy between the measured and predicted values of resin pressures for RTM is explained.