Thermal transfer simulation regarding the rotational moulding of polyamide 11

Abstract

Simulation of thermal phenomena in rotational moulding is very important to follow the evolution of the temperature in various zones of this process. It was a question of modelling heat gradients developing in rota-tional moulding part. Thermal model tested take into account the temperature change (thermal transfer mecha-nism) of melting and crystallization pseudo-stages (enthalpy method). Series of tests in polyamide 11 (PA11) were carried out by means of rotational moulding STP LAB, and non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of rota-tional moulding PA11 grade are measured and analysed by DSC technique type TAQ20. A result of non-isothermal crystallization of the studied polyamide was confronted with Ozawa model. In order to test the validity degree of enthalpy method (layer to layer), another approach based on Ozawa model has also been used in the case of cooling pseudo-stage. As results, the rotational moulding of PA11 was successfully carried out. The simulation of the fusion and crystallization stages, by application of Ozawa model coupled with enthalpy method gave a good representation of experimental data.