Progress Report on Numerical Modeling of Experimental Polymer Melt Flow Behavior.
Progress Report on Numerical Modeling of Experimental
Polymer Melt Flow Behavior.
(283 K)
Butler, K. M.; Ohlemiller, T. J.; Linteris, G. T.
Volume 2;
Interflam 2004. (Interflam '04). International
Interflam Conference, 10th Proceedings. Volume 2. July
5-7, 2004. Organised by Interscience Communications
Ltd. in association with National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Building Research Establishment;
National Fire Protection Association; Society of Fire
Protection Engineers; and Swedish National Testing and
Research Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland, Interscience
Communications Ltd., London, England, 937-948 pp, 2004.
Keywords:
fire science; fire safety; material properties;
numerical models; polymers; melt flow; thermoplastics;
polypropylene; mass loss; temperature; kinetics
Abstract:
A combination of experiment and modeling is being used
to investigate the effects of material properties on the
melt flow behavior of thermoplastics. The dripping
behavior of several types of polypropylene has been
studied, including measurements of mass loss from the
sample and mass collection in the catch pan, surface
temperature, and surface velocities. An experimental
method was developed for extrapolating viscosity data to
high temperatures where bubbles in the polymer make
standard rheometry impossible. Afinite volume model that
uses the volume of fluid method to track the highly
distorted interface for a melting and dripping polymer
is described. The model includes heat flux to the
distorted interface, empirical viscosity as a function
of temperature, flow due to gravity, and gasification.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899