EXPERIMENTAL-VERIFICATION OF MODELS FOR INDUCTION-HEATING OF CONTINUOUS-CARBON-FIBER COMPOSITES

Heating of continuous-carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) by the application of an alternating magnetic field has been shown to be due to dielectric losses in the polymer. Models that predict thermal gener ation in these composites are input to a finite element heat transfer analysis, providing the predicted transient thermal profile in the pla ne of the laminate. The validity of the global thermal generation mode l is established through an experimental test matrix in which various specimen configurations are evaluated and compared with theoretical pr edictions of transient surface temperatures.