Numerical simulation of the filling phase in the polymer injection moulding process with a conservative level set method

Abstract

Numerical simulations are widely used in polymer processing in order to understand the interaction between the material properties and the process. In the injection moulding process, one of the numerical simulation problems encountered is the tracking of the polymer-air front or interface during the filling stage [1]. In this study, this is achieved by using the classical level set method, which reveals to be conservative. On the contrary, in the case of confined volume of two phases flow, such as an air bubble moving in a constant volume of liquid, the method needs a correction in order to be conservative [2–3]. For a non-Newtonian non-isothermal flow, the simulation involves a coupling between heat transfer, continuity and momentum equations and the rheological material parameters. A finite element method is used to solve this equations set. The results show clearly the expected fountain flow effect. Temperature, velocity, pressure and viscosity fields are calculated and the influence of the thermal contact resistance between the polymer and the mould is presented.