Melt Blowing: Advanced Modeling and Experimental Verification

这个项目的目标是用一个经过实验验证的模型来描述具有重要商业意义的纤维熔融吹炼过程。在世界范围内，每年生产约150个10公斤的熔喷织物。这种材料的典型例子是Pall公司的滤筒过滤器、金佰利公司的SpenGuard外科礼服和杜邦的特维克。特威克用于计算机软盘套筒、室内包装、无菌包装、高强度信封和许多其他用途。熔体吹炼是指高速气流冲击熔融的聚合物，形成细小的纤维网。我们建议结合计算流体力学CFD来描述空气侧流动与我们小组先前为聚合物侧开发的模型。结果应该是一个准确的、全面的熔体吹炼模型。这一综合模型将与实验确定的光纤参数进行比较。实验工作将主要使用俄克拉荷马大学现有的纺纱设备进行。此外，还将在明尼苏达州圣保罗的3M研究中心进行中试规模纺纱。该项目将通过使用3M公司作为与大学的积极合作伙伴来扩大大学/行业的接口。一名3M研究经理将担任参与该项目的学生的联合顾问。该大学的工作人员和3M之间将经常进行访问。这3M家公司将捐赠其试验设备和分析设施的使用权。从这项提议中获得的知识将使非织造布产品的生产更加经济，这些产品用于一个规模大、快速扩张、价值数十亿美元的市场。此外，这些知识将有助于创造全新的工艺和产品

The goal of this project is to describe with an experimentally verified model the commercially important process of fiber melt blowing. Worldwide, about 150 10kg year of melt blown fabric is produced. Typical examples of this material are Pall Corporation's cartridge filters, Kimberly-Clark's Spunguard surgical gowns, and Du Pont's Tyvek. Tyvek is used for computer diskette sleeves, house wrap, sterile packaging, high strength envelopes, and many other uses. Melt blowing involves the impact of high velocity air streams upon a molten polymer to form fine webs of fiber. We propose to combine computational fluid mechanics CFD to describe the airside flow with a previously developed model by our group for the polymer side. The result should be an accurate, comprehensive model for melts blowing. This comprehensive model will be compared with experimentally determined fiber parameters. The experimental work will primarily be done with the spinning equipment available at the University of Oklahoma. In addition, pilot scale spinning will also be done at the 3M Research Center in St. Paul, MN. This project will expand the university/industry interface by using the 3M companies as an active collaborator with the university. A 3M research manager will serve as a co-advisor to the students involved in this project. Frequent visits will occur between the personnel at the university and 3M. The 3M companies will donate use of its pilot equipment and analytical facilities. The knowledge gained from this proposal will allow more economical production of nonwoven products that are used in a high-volume, rapidly expanding, billion-dollar market. In addition, the knowledge will help create entirely new processes and products