Simulating three-dimensional dynamics of flexible fibers in a ring spinning triangle: chitosan and cotton fibers

A three-dimensional particle-level simulation method is developed to simulate fiber dynamics in the ring spinning triangle. The fiber is modeled as a chain of beads connected through massless rods, and its flexibility is defined by the stretching, bending and twisting displacements. As the application of the proposed approach, the effects of the chitosan (CS)/cotton (CT) fiber initial position and length on fiber motion and yarn properties are discussed. The deflections of CS fibers along the roller axis are larger compared with those of CT fibers, which will lead to CS migrating outwards in CS/CT blended yarn. The short CS fibers (22mm) will move toward the top roller surface and shift quickly out of the roller nip, and thus yarn strength is lower. The tailing end of the longest CS fiber (46mm) will drift off the roller nip, which makes little or no contribution to the yarn strength. For 38mm length CS fiber, it moves toward the bottom roller surface and is bound into the roller nip, and thus can produce the highest tenacity CS/CT blended yarns. The simulation results agree with the spinning experimental data reported by other researchers.