A numerical approach to model non‐isothermal viscous flow through fibrous media with free surfaces

A numerical simulation is presented to predict the free surface and its interactions with heat transfer and cure for flow of a shear‐thinning resin through the fibre preform the flow part of the simulation is based on the finite element/control volume method. Since the traditional control volume approach produces an error associated with a mass balance inconsistency, a new method which overcomes this issue is proposed, the element control volume method. The heat transfer and cure analysis in the simulation are based on the finite difference/control volume method. Since heat conduction is dominant in the through‐thickness direction and most of the heat convection is in‐plane, heat transfer and cure are solved in fully three‐dimensional form. A simple concept of the boundary condition constant is introduced which models a realistic mould configuration with a heating element located at a distance behind the mould wall. The varying viscosity throughout the mould associated with the strain rate, temperature and degree of cure distribution may be accounted for in calculating the mould‐filling pattern. This introduces a two‐way coupling between momentum and energy transport in fibrous media during mould filling.