Simulation of temperature evolution of cork composites during moulding process

Abstract

Cork-based composites result from a combination of cork granules with different materials - like thermosets or thermoplastics - and its manufacture involves a thermal process. In order to simulate the manufacturing process, of these types of composites, a new methodology was applied. A material composed of cork and a thermoplastic served as a case study. A model for the prediction of a cork composite mixture properties and a simulation methodology were developed for studying the variation of temperature during the moulding process of cork composites. Density, thermal conductivity, and specific heat were determined based on the formulation of the composite and the properties of cork and the agglutinant agent. Numerical analyses were carried out and compared to experimental results obtained from a moulding process. Three types of simulations, according to the model of the chosen properties were developed using finite volume and finite element methods. In general, the results from the simulations were in good agreement with experimental results.