| Preface | 6 |
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| Acknowledgements | 8 |
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| Contents | 9 |
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| 1 Introduction | 11 |
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| 1.1 Motivation | 11 |
| 1.2 What Is a Composite Material? | 12 |
| 1.3 Polymer Composite Manufacturing Processes | 16 |
| 1.3.1 Hand Lay-up Molding | 16 |
| 1.3.2 Spray-up Molding | 17 |
| 1.3.3 Vacuum Bag Molding | 17 |
| 1.3.4 Autoclave Molding | 18 |
| 1.3.5 Compression Molding | 18 |
| 1.3.6 Filament Winding | 18 |
| 1.3.7 Pultrusion | 19 |
| 1.3.8 Liquid Molding | 19 |
| References | 21 |
| 2 The Liquid Composite Molding Process: Theory and Applications | 24 |
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| 2.1 Foundations | 24 |
| 2.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of the RTM Technique | 27 |
| 2.3 Engineering Applications | 29 |
| References | 29 |
| 3 Advanced Experiments in RTM Processes | 31 |
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| 3.1 The Liquid Molding System | 31 |
| 3.2 Rectilinear Infiltration | 31 |
| 3.3 Radial Infiltration | 35 |
| References | 39 |
| 4 RTM Process Modeling | 41 |
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| 4.1 The Physics of the RTM Process | 41 |
| 4.2 Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Simulations in RTM Processes: An Overview | 43 |
| 4.3 Fundamental Transport Equations | 44 |
| 4.3.1 Fluid Flow | 44 |
| 4.3.2 Heat Transfer | 46 |
| 4.4 Isothermal One-Dimensional Flow: An Analytical Approach | 47 |
| 4.4.1 Rectilinear Single-Phase Flow | 47 |
| 4.4.2 Radial Single-Phase Flow: One-Dimensional Approach | 58 |
| References | 67 |
| 5 RTM Simulations by CFD | 70 |
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| 5.1 General Comments | 70 |
| 5.2 Isothermal Two- and Three-Dimensional Flows | 71 |
| 5.2.1 Rectilinear Single-Phase Flow | 71 |
| 5.2.2 Radial Single- and Two-Phase Flows | 75 |
| 5.2.3 Two-Dimensional and Two-Phase Flow: A Boundary-Fitted Curvilinear Coordinate’s Application | 79 |
| 5.2.4 Initial and Boundary Conditions | 83 |
| 5.2.5 Applications | 84 |
| References | 88 |
| 6 Conclusions | 91 |
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