Three dimensional FEM simulation for spinning of non-circular fibers

A finite element method is employed for a flow analysis of the melt spinning process of a non-circular fiber, a PET(polyethylene terephthalate) filament. The flow field is divided into two regions of die channel and spin-line. A two dimensional analysis is used for the flow within the die channel and a three dimensional analysis for the flow along the spin-line. The Newtonian fluid is assumed for the PET melt and material properties are considered to be constant except for the viscosity. Effects of gravitation, air drag force, and surface tension are neglected. Although the spin-line length is 4.5 m, only five millimeters from the spinneret are evaluated as the domain of the analysis. Isothermal and non-isothermal cases are studied for the flow within the die channel. The relationship between the mass flow rate and the pressure gradient is presented for the two cases. Three dimensional flow along the spin-line is obtained by assuming isothermal conditions. It is shown that changes in velocity and cross-sectional shape occur mostly in the region of 1mm from the die exit.