Analysis of the air flow and the fabric cooling process with computational fluid dynamics method in stenter dryer machines

In this thesis, the air flow in the stenter dryer which has an important place in terms of functionality in the textile industry and the fabric cooling process in the last stage of the stenter machine were examined with Computational Fluid Dynamics. In the air flow analysis, velocity contours and streamlines were obtained from the variables of the flow area and their effects on fabric drying were revealed. In fabric cooling process analysis, in order to demonstrate the validity of numerical models reference industrial data were obtained by measuring fabric temperature, cooling air temperature and cooling air velocity from a stenter machine actively used in a textile factory. By using these data, the network quality of the numerical model created for the cooling process and the suitability of the selected turbulence model have been validated. Then, the effects of parameters such as porosity (B), nozzle angle (α), fabric velocity (Vk) and cooling air velocity (Va) on the fabric outlet temperature and temperature distribution on the fabric surface were revealed. Numerical models were simulated in ANSYS-Fluent program. Airflow analysis were performed using the Standard k-ε model under steady flow conditions. Fabric cooling process analysis were solved by using Realizable k-ε model depending on time. The velocity data of the air flow analysis are presented with visuals, the air velocity distribution contours and streamlines are obtained. In the fabric cooling process analysis, the temperature values at the exit of the nozzle slice of the fabric and the fabric surface temperature distributions are presented.