| Abstract: | The radial flow of a chemically reactive fluid between two parallel circular disks during the process of Reactive Injection Molding (RIM) has been simulated in a decelerative, non-isothermal, transient flow environment. The effects of key operating and system parameters (feed temperature, volumetric flow rate, reaction rate, and cavity thickness) on velocity, conversion, and temperature profiles which occur in this decelerative flow environment were determined. A catalyzed, unfilled polyurethane RIM system was modeled by a linear step polymerization scheme using average literature values for the reaction rate, and thermodynamic and constitutive parameters. The numerical solution was achieved using the method of lines and upwind approximations of the spatial derivatives. The geometry studied (two parallel, center gated circular disks) models flow patterns in commercial RIM processes more realistically than the rectangular flow between two parallel surfaces (studied by previous workers) in which the average velocity is constant along the length of the mold. This simulation predicts the accumulation of high polymer near the entrance to the mold and near the outer edge of the cavity in fast reactive systems. The accumulation of material near the gate results in viscous heat generation and a maximum in temperature in the region immediately downstream from the restriction. |
