A Review on the Studies of Air Flow Field and Fiber Formation Process during Melt Blowing

Melt blowing is an industrially important process in producing microfibrous nonwovens. Over the past decades, there has been a considerable amount of fundamental research on this technique, driven by the development of advanced materials in the areas of filtration, absorption, and isolation. This work presents a comprehensive overview of the research on the air flow field and fiber formation process. Specific attention is concentrated on experimental and numerical studies that have been applied. The measuring methods and devices, results of the air flow field characteristics, and the fibers motion patterns under different types of dies are summarized. It is concluded that the properties of resultant nonwovens are influenced by the air flow field and fiber formation process. These fundamental researches are significant for the melt blowing technique in controlling the manufacturing process, reducing energy consuming, and improving the product performance.