Abstract :
The spinning of synthetic fibers is a complicated task. It is sensitive to any variation of process parameters, as for example, the temperature of the polymer melt or the temperature of the quench air of the spinning unit. Particularly, the conditions in the quenching zone influence the formation of a suitable yarn.
In this paper, a simulation is presented, calculating the temperature of the yarn, the tension force on the yarn, the diameter of the yarn, and the velocity of the yarn at any point in the quenching zone. The program is based on a finite element model. The equations describing the physical behavior of the theoretical model are the continuity equation, the constitutive equation, the energy balance equation and the momentum balance equation, which are established in a differential form. Special interest is given to the way the system of differential equations is solved in order to fulfill a convergence criterion.
A main target is to achieve a sufficient numerical stability of the simulation. Furthermore, the influence of various parameters on the numerical stability of the program is examined. Finally, some typical results of the simulation, showing the velocity, the temperature and the diameter of the yarn and the tension force on the yarn are presented.
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