Thermal Conductivity Prediction of Short-Fiber Composites Using Micromechanical Modeling for Wing Spars, Ribs, And Stringers

Thermal conductivity prediction of short-fiber composites for wing spars, ribs, and stringers is carried out using an epoxy matrix and glass fiber. Based on the study, the effects of fiber arrangement (aligned, partially aligned, and random) and their orientation angles (0^0, 45^0, 60^0) on thermal conductivity are analyzed. The Mori-Tanaka technique is adopted to determine the thermal effectiveness of the composite. The experimental validation is carried out using a guarded hot plate (ASTM C177) and laser flash (ASTM E1461) technique. The study's outcomes show that the thermal flow of the composite is significantly affected by the fiber arrangement and its orientation angle. The aligned composite shows the highest thermal conductivity of 0.52W/mK, and the random composite exhibits the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.37W/mK. The partially aligned composite with a 45° orientation has a thermal conductivity of 0.41W/mK. The predicted thermal conductivity values are in line with the experimental results, indicating the accuracy of the micromechanical model.