Numerical simulation and image analysis of thermal behavior of spacer fabric

Due to spacer fabrics applications in industries, the importance of understanding their thermal properties is considered a reason for developing fast and accurate methods such as numerical simulation and image processing to determine such properties. The aim of this study was to propose a numerical simulation to determine the spacer fabric temperature distribution. The exact temperature in all different parts of the fabric and the relationship between the heat transfer and the fabric parameters were determined using FLUENT software. The performance of the simulation method was evaluated by thermal image processing, a non-contact method with high accuracy in determining the thermal properties. The results showed that the heat transfer depends on the fabric porosity, thickness and density. The samples with a high density have a more uniform temperature distribution. As the thickness increases, the thermal equilibrium occurs gradually over a longer period of time. The porosity of the three-dimensional fabric is affected by the knit pattern, density and arrangement of monofilaments. As the porosity increases, the temperature rises quickly in the samples with the same thickness. The results of the numerical simulation were compared with the thermal image processing, and a good agreement between them is found. The results showed that the simulation method is able to calculate the temperature and its distribution in all different parts of the fabric, so it is proposed as an accurate method for calculating the temperature distribution in the textiles.

Automated summary

Due to the applications of spacer fabrics in industries, it is important to understand their thermal properties. This study proposed a numerical simulation method using FLUENT software to determine the temperature distribution in spacer fabrics. The simulation results were compared with thermal image processing, showing good agreement. The results revealed that heat transfer in spacer fabrics is influenced by porosity, thickness, and density. The simulation method is an accurate way to calculate temperature distribution in textiles.