Finite element method is used to simulate the high-speed melt spinning process, based on the equation system proposed by Doufas et al. Calculation predicts a neck-like deformation, as well as the related profiles of velocity, diameter, temperature, chain orientation, and crystallinity in the fiber spinning process. Considering combined effects on the process such as flow-induced crystallization, viscoelasticity, filament cooling, air drag, inertia, surface tension and gravity, the simulated material flow behaviors are consistent with those observed for semi-crystalline polymers under various spinning conditions, The structure change of polymer coils in the necking region described by the evolution of conformation tensor is also investigated. Based on the relaxation mechanism of macromolecules in flow field different types of morphology change of polymer chains before and in the neck are proposed, giving a complete prospect of structure evolution and crystallization of semi-crystalline polymer in the high speed fiber spinning process.
A new coupled finite element formulation is proposed to calculate a conformation tensor model in two complex flows： a planar contraction flow and a planar flow around a symmetrically placed cylinder. The components of conformation tensor are first computed together with the velocity and pressure to describe the change of morphology of polymer chain coils in flow fields. Macroscopic quantities of viscoelastic flow are then calculated based on the conformation tensor. Comparisons between the numerical simulations and experiments for stress patterns and velocity profiles are carried out to prove the validity of the method.
