Fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system

Abstract

To provide a technology that enables production of a fiber-reinforced resin with high production stability and good quality.SOLUTION: There is provided a manufacturing system for a fiber-reinforced resin, which comprises: an impregnating tank for impregnating fibers with an uncured thermosetting resin; a first circulation mechanism for discharging the uncured thermosetting resin from a bottom portion of the impregnation tank and supplying the discharged uncured thermosetting resin again to the impregnation tank; and a second circulation mechanism for discharging the uncured thermosetting resin from near of a liquid surface of the impregnation tank and supplying the discharged uncured thermosetting resin again to the impregnation tank.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present technology relates to a fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system. [Background technology]

[0002] Fiber-reinforced resins, which are resins reinforced with fibers, are lightweight yet have excellent strength and elastic modulus, and are therefore used in a wide variety of fields, including civil engineering and construction, packaging and packaging, and transportation such as automobiles, railways, and aircraft. Fiber-reinforced resins are manufactured by impregnating fibers such as glass fibers with resin in an impregnation tank, then removing excess resin components and allowing the resin to harden. Various developments are also underway regarding the manufacturing technology of fiber-reinforced resins.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a plurality of guide bars are arranged in a resin impregnation tank, and a reinforcing fiber bundle is rotated between the plurality of guide bars in a tensioned state, thereby removing air bubbles in the reinforcing fiber bundle and causing an uncured thermosetting resin to impregnate between the filaments of the reinforcing fiber bundle, thereby obtaining uncured thermosetting resin-impregnated reinforcing fibers, which are then heated and cured while passing through a pultrusion mold and continuously pulled out, thereby producing a pultrusion molded product with almost no remaining air bubbles and excellent strength. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-178828 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As mentioned above, various developments in fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing technologies are underway, but many challenges remain. For example, over time in the impregnation tank, the heavier components in the impregnation resin gradually settle. Even if additional impregnation resin is added to compensate for the resin consumption, the proportion of sedimented components increases. This can result in areas of the fiber that are not impregnated with resin, causing changes in physical properties such as reduced bending and compressive strength. Furthermore, during long-term production periods (e.g., two weeks or more), the resin solidifies at the bottom of the impregnation tank, making cleaning after use difficult. Furthermore, the solvent components in the impregnation tank can volatilize by more than 7% per day, increasing the solvent concentration and making stable long-term production difficult.

[0006] Therefore, the main object of the present technology is to provide a technology that enables the production of high-quality fiber-reinforced resin with high production stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] That is, in this technology, first, an impregnation tank for impregnating fibers with uncured thermosetting resin is provided; a first circulation mechanism that discharges the uncured thermosetting resin from the bottom of the impregnation tank and supplies it again to the impregnation tank; a second circulation mechanism that discharges the uncured thermosetting resin from near the liquid surface of the impregnation tank and supplies the uncured thermosetting resin to the impregnation tank again; A fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system is provided. The fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system according to the present technology may include a control unit that controls the amount of resin circulated by the first circulation mechanism and / or the amount of resin circulated by the second circulation mechanism. The fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system according to the present technology may include a reserve tank that holds the uncured thermosetting resin discharged from the impregnation tank by the first circulation mechanism and the second circulation mechanism. The control unit of the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system according to the present technology can control the amount of circulating resin so that the following relationship holds: [amount of resin liquid discharged from the reserve tank] > [amount of resin liquid discharged from the impregnation tank by the first circulation mechanism] > [amount of resin liquid discharged from the impregnation tank by the second circulation mechanism]. The fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system according to the present technology may include a viscosity adjusting unit that adjusts the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] This technology makes it possible to manufacture high-quality fiber-reinforced resins with high production stability. The effects described here are not necessarily limited to those described herein, and may be any of the effects described in this specification. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic conceptual diagram showing a first embodiment of a fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic conceptual diagram showing a second embodiment of a fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present technology will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described below is an example of a typical embodiment of the present technology, and the scope of the present technology should not be interpreted as being narrow.

[0011] <1. Fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1> FIG. 1 is a schematic conceptual diagram showing a first embodiment of a fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology. The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology includes an impregnation tank 11, a first circulation mechanism, and a second circulation mechanism. The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology may also include a reserve tank 14, a control unit, a viscosity adjustment unit 16, and the like, as needed. Details of each unit will be described below.

[0012] (1) Impregnation tank 11 The impregnation tank 11 is a tank filled with uncured thermosetting resin to be impregnated into the fibers. In this impregnation tank 11, the fibers are impregnated with the uncured thermosetting resin.

[0013] The shape of the impregnation tank 11 can be freely designed as long as it does not impair the effects of the present technology. For example, the impregnation tank 11 can be freely designed as appropriate, as long as it can impregnate the fibers with the uncured thermosetting resin, such as a cylinder, a polygonal cylinder with a cross section (triangle, square, or more), a cone, a polygonal pyramid with a cross section (triangle, square, or more), or a combination of one or more of these shapes.

[0014] The material of the impregnation tank 11 is not particularly limited, and the impregnation tank 11 can be made of any material depending on the types of components contained in the uncured thermosetting resin used, etc. In the present technology, from the viewpoint of durability such as rust resistance and chemical resistance, it is preferable to make the impregnation tank 11 from stainless steel such as SUS304.

[0015] The impregnation tank 11 has a first discharge part 111 at its bottom for discharging the uncured thermosetting resin into a flow path L1 of a first circulation mechanism, which will be described later. By providing the first discharge part 111, it is possible to prevent components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling in the impregnation tank 11.

[0016] The shape of the hole of the first discharge part 111 is not particularly limited, and can be freely designed depending on the shape of the flow path L1 of the first circulation mechanism, which will be described later. For example, shapes such as a circle or an ellipse can be adopted. The size of the hole of the first discharge part 111 is also not particularly limited, and can be freely designed depending on the shape of the flow path L1 of the first circulation mechanism, which will be described later. In the present technology, the diameter of the hole of the first discharge part 111 is, for example, 10 to 80 mm, and preferably 20 to 60 mm.

[0017] It is preferable that the first discharge section 111 is provided with a filter. By providing the filter, it is possible to prevent fiber scraps, foreign matter, etc. from flowing out from the impregnation tank 11 to the first circulation mechanism, and it is possible to protect the first pump P1 of the first circulation mechanism from the fibers and foreign matter. The filter may be, for example, a mesh, and the mesh may be made of, for example, stainless steel.

[0018] The side wall of the impregnation tank 11 near the liquid level is provided with a second discharge section 112 for discharging the uncured thermosetting resin into a second flow path L2 of a second circulation mechanism, which will be described later. By providing the second discharge section 112, when the liquid level of the uncured thermosetting resin rises above the second discharge section 112, the uncured thermosetting resin can be discharged from the second discharge section 112. As a result, it is possible to prevent the uncured thermosetting resin from overflowing from the impregnation tank 11, and to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 due to fluctuations and variations in the amount of liquid delivered by a pump that delivers the uncured thermosetting resin, and ultimately to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin impregnated into the fibers.

[0019] The shape of the hole of the second discharge part 112 is not particularly limited, and can be freely designed depending on the shape of the second flow path L2 of the second circulation mechanism, which will be described later. For example, a circular, elliptical, or other shape can be adopted. The size of the hole of the second discharge part 112 is also not particularly limited, and can be freely designed depending on the shape of the second flow path L2 of the second circulation mechanism, which will be described later. In the present technology, the diameter of the hole of the second discharge part 112 is, for example, 10 to 80 mm, and preferably 20 to 60 mm.

[0020] The second discharge section 112 is preferably provided with a filter. The provision of the filter can prevent fiber scraps, foreign matter, etc. from flowing out from the impregnation tank 11 to the second circulation mechanism, and can protect the second pump P2 of the second circulation mechanism from fibers and foreign matter. The filter can be, for example, a mesh, and the mesh can be made of, for example, stainless steel.

[0021] The impregnation tank 11 preferably has a slope toward the first discharge section 111. By providing a slope, it is possible to prevent components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling in the impregnation tank 11 and also to promote circulation of the uncured resin.

[0022] The angle of inclination (θ) is not particularly limited and can be freely designed depending on the types of components contained in the uncured thermosetting resin used, the structure of the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1, and the like. In the present technology, for example, the lower limit of the angle of inclination (θ) is 10° or more, preferably 15° or more. By setting the angle of inclination (θ) at the bottom to 10° or more, it is possible to more reliably prevent components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling, and also to facilitate circulation of the uncured thermosetting resin, thereby reducing the amount of sediment that accumulates without being circulated.

[0023] The upper limit of the angle of inclination (θ) is, for example, 60° or less, preferably 50° or less. By setting the angle of inclination (θ) at the bottom to 60° or less, the fibers can be moved to a deeper portion of the impregnation tank 11, thereby increasing the distance the fibers travel within the impregnation tank 11. More specifically, since fibers have high resistance and cannot be pulled by a take-up machine, and fibers are prone to fuzzing, it is difficult to bend them at an acute angle. Therefore, if the bottom of the impregnation tank 11 is bent at an acute angle, the fibers can only travel in a shallow portion of the impregnation tank 11, and the distance the fibers travel within the impregnation tank 11 is shortened. Therefore, in order to increase the distance the fibers travel within the impregnation tank 11, it was necessary to increase the volume of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11. However, by setting the inclination angle (θ) to 60° or less, the travel distance of the fibers within the impregnation tank 11 can be increased without increasing the volume of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11, and as a result, a sufficient amount of uncured thermosetting resin can be impregnated into the fibers.

[0024] The impregnation tank 11 can be equipped with a sensor that detects the liquid level of the uncured thermosetting resin. For example, if an alert is issued when the liquid level of the uncured thermosetting resin falls below the second discharge section 112, the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 can be kept constant.

[0025] (2) First circulation mechanism The first circulation mechanism is a mechanism that discharges the uncured thermosetting resin from the first discharge section 111 of the impregnation tank 11 and supplies it again to the impregnation tank 11. By providing the first circulation mechanism, it is possible to prevent components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling in the impregnation tank 11. The first circulation mechanism has a first flow path L1 and a first pump P1.

[0026] The first flow path L1 may be any device that allows the uncured thermosetting resin to flow therethrough, such as a hose. The inner diameter of the first flow path L1 is not particularly limited, and can be freely designed depending on the shape of the first discharge section 111 of the impregnation tank 11. In the present technology, the inner diameter of the first flow path L1 is, for example, 10 to 80 mm, and preferably 20 to 60 mm.

[0027] As the first pump P1, any general pump can be used as long as it can pump uncured thermosetting resin, such as a diaphragm pump.

[0028] The first circulation mechanism preferably operates so that the amount of liquid sent from the first discharge part 111 of the impregnation tank 11 is, for example, 2 to 10 L / min, and preferably 3 to 7 L / min. By controlling the amount of liquid sent from the first discharge part 111 of the impregnation tank 11 within this range, it is possible to more reliably prevent the components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling in the impregnation tank 11.

[0029] (3)Second circulation mechanism The second circulation mechanism is a mechanism that discharges the uncured thermosetting resin from the second discharge section 112 of the impregnation tank 11 and supplies it again to the impregnation tank 11. By providing the second circulation mechanism, when the liquid level of the uncured thermosetting resin rises above the second discharge section 112, the uncured thermosetting resin can be discharged from the second discharge section 112. As a result, it is possible to prevent the uncured thermosetting resin from overflowing from the impregnation tank 11 and to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 due to fluctuations or variations in the liquid feed rate of a pump that feeds the uncured thermosetting resin, and ultimately to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin impregnated into the fibers. The second circulation mechanism has a second flow path L2 and a second pump P2.

[0030] The second flow path L2 may be any device that allows the uncured thermosetting resin to flow therethrough, such as a hose. The inner diameter of the second flow path L2 is not particularly limited, and can be freely designed depending on the configuration of the second discharge section 112 of the impregnation tank 11. In the present technology, the inner diameter of the second flow path L2 is, for example, 10 to 80 mm, and preferably 20 to 60 mm.

[0031] The first flow path L1, the second flow path L2, and the third flow path L3 (described later) may be the same type of flow path, or different types of flow paths may be used. The materials for the first flow path L1, the second flow path L2, and the third flow path L3 (described later) are not particularly limited, and they may be made of, for example, fluororesin.

[0032] The second pump P2 can be any general pump that can pump uncured thermosetting resin. For example, a diaphragm pump can be used. The first pump P1, the second pump P2, and the third pump P3 (described later) can be the same type of pump, or different types of pumps can be used.

[0033] The second circulation mechanism preferably operates so that the amount of liquid sent from the second discharge part 112 of the impregnation tank 11 is, for example, 0.1 to 5 L / min, and preferably 0.5 to 3 L / min. By controlling the amount of liquid sent from the second discharge part 112 of the impregnation tank 11 within this range, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 due to fluctuations and variations in the amount of liquid sent by the pump that sends the uncured thermosetting resin. As a result, it is also possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin impregnated into the fibers.

[0034] (4) Reserve Tank 14 The fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology can be provided with a reserve tank 14 that holds the uncured thermosetting resin discharged from the impregnation tank 11 by the first circulation mechanism and the second circulation mechanism. The reserve tank 14 can also store the uncured thermosetting resin to be supplied into the impregnation tank 11.

[0035] In addition, in the fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology, the reserve tank 14 is not required, and for example, although not shown, uncured thermosetting resin stored in an external storage tank can be supplied directly to the impregnation tank 11.

[0036] The uncured thermosetting resin discharged from the impregnation tank 11 by the first circulation mechanism and the second circulation mechanism can also be returned to the impregnation tank 11 without passing through the reserve tank 14. For example, as in the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a third flow path L3 for supplying the uncured thermosetting resin stored in the reserve tank 14 to the impregnation tank 11 can be configured to merge the first flow path L1 of the first circulation mechanism and the second flow path L2 of the second circulation mechanism and return the uncured thermosetting resin to the impregnation tank 11.

[0037] Furthermore, although not shown, for example, the first flow path L1 of the first circulation mechanism and the second flow path L2 of the second circulation mechanism can be configured to be directly connected to the impregnation tank 11 without merging with the third flow path L3 from the reserve tank 14, so that the uncured thermosetting resin discharged from the impregnation tank 11 by the first circulation mechanism and the second circulation mechanism can be returned directly to the impregnation tank 11.

[0038] The shape of the reserve tank 14 can be freely designed as long as it does not impair the effects of the present technology. For example, the reserve tank 14 can be freely designed as appropriate as long as it can store uncured thermosetting resin, such as a cylinder, a polygonal cylinder with a polygonal cross section (triangle, square, or more), a cone, a polygonal pyramid with a polygonal cross section (triangle, square, or more), or a shape that combines one or more of these.

[0039] The material of the reserve tank 14 is not particularly limited, and the reserve tank 14 can be formed of any material depending on the types of components contained in the uncured thermosetting resin used, etc. In the present technology, from the viewpoint of durability such as rust resistance and chemical resistance, it is preferable to form the reserve tank 14 from stainless steel such as SUS304.

[0040] The discharge part 141 from the reserve tank 14 to the third flow path L3 is preferably provided at the bottom of the reserve tank 14. By providing the discharge part 141 at the bottom of the reserve tank 14, it is possible to prevent components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling.

[0041] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reserve tank 14 has a slope toward the discharge portion 141. By providing a slope, it is possible to prevent components with a high specific gravity contained in the uncured thermosetting resin from settling in the reserve tank 14 and also to promote the circulation of the uncured resin.

[0042] The angle of inclination is not particularly limited and can be freely designed depending on the types of components contained in the uncured thermosetting resin used and the structure of the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1. The preferred angle of inclination to be provided in the reserve tank 14 is the same as the angle of inclination (θ) of the impregnation tank 11 described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0043] The amount of liquid sent from the discharge part 141 of the reserve tank 14 can be freely set as long as it does not impair the effects of the present technology. For example, it is preferable to set it to 3 to 15 L / min, preferably 4 to 10 L / min. By controlling the amount of liquid sent from the discharge part 141 of the reserve tank 14 within this range, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11. As a result, it is also possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin impregnated into the fibers.

[0044] (5) Control unit The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology may include a control unit that controls the amount of resin circulated by the first circulation mechanism and / or the amount of resin circulated by the second circulation mechanism. The control unit may also control a third pump P3 provided in a third flow path L3 for supplying uncured thermosetting resin stored in the reserve tank 14 to the impregnation tank 11.

[0045] In the fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology, the control unit is not essential, and for example, the operation of each pump can be controlled by the user.

[0046] The control unit can automatically control the operation of the group of pumps (first pump P1, second pump P2, and third pump P3) according to a predetermined program. For example, a flow meter can be provided in each of the flow paths (first flow path L1, second flow path L2, and third flow path L3), the first discharge part 111 and second discharge part 112 of the impregnation tank 11, and the discharge part 141 of the reserve tank 14, and the group of pumps can be controlled based on the measurements taken by the flow meter.

[0047] The specific control method of the control unit can be freely set depending on the actual configuration of the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1. For example, in the case of the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , it is preferable to control the amount of circulating resin so that the following relationship holds: [amount of resin liquid discharged from the reserve tank 14] > [amount of resin liquid discharged from the impregnation tank 11 by the first circulation mechanism] > [amount of resin liquid discharged from the impregnation tank 11 by the second circulation mechanism]. That is, it is preferable to control each of the pumps so that the following relationship holds: liquid discharge amount from the discharge unit 141 > liquid discharge amount from the first discharge unit 111 > liquid discharge amount from the second discharge unit 112. By controlling in this manner, fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 can be suppressed, as shown in the examples described below. As a result, fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin impregnated into the fibers can also be suppressed.

[0048] In the case of the fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable to control the amount of circulating resin so that the following relationship holds: [amount of resin discharged from the impregnation tank by the first circulation mechanism] > [amount of resin discharged from the impregnation tank by the second circulation mechanism], [amount of resin discharged from the reserve tank] = the amount of uncured thermosetting resin consumed. That is, it is preferable to control each of the pumps so that the amount of resin discharged from the first discharge unit 111 > the amount of resin discharged from the second discharge unit 112, and the amount of resin discharged from the discharge unit 141 = the amount of uncured thermosetting resin consumed. By controlling in this manner, fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 can be suppressed, as will be shown in the examples described later. As a result, fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin impregnated into the fibers can also be suppressed.

[0049] (6) Viscosity adjustment section 16 The fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 1 according to the present technology can be provided with a viscosity adjusting unit 16 that adjusts the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin. By providing the viscosity adjusting unit 16, it is possible to prevent the solvent from becoming highly concentrated due to the evaporation of the solvent component in the impregnation tank 11, thereby improving production stability.

[0050] The viscosity adjustment unit 16 is not particularly limited in configuration as long as it can adjust the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin, but can be configured to include, for example, a viscosity measurement unit 161 and a solvent supply unit 162. More specifically, for example, the viscosity adjustment unit 16 can be configured to include the viscosity measurement unit 161 in the third flow path L3 for supplying the uncured thermosetting resin stored in the reserve tank 14 to the impregnation tank 11, measure the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin flowing through the third flow path L3 continuously or discontinuously, and supply solvent from the solvent supply unit 162 provided in the reserve tank 14 when the measured viscosity value exceeds a preset threshold value.

[0051] Furthermore, although not shown, the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank 11 may be measured, and when the measured viscosity value exceeds a preset threshold, the solvent may be supplied to the impregnation tank 11. Note that the measurement of the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin is not limited to being performed in the third flow path L3 or the impregnation tank 11, but can also be performed in the first flow path L1 of the first circulation mechanism, the second flow path L2 of the second circulation mechanism, or the reserve tank 14. Furthermore, the supply of the solvent is not limited to being performed in the reserve tank 14 or the impregnation tank 11, but can also be performed in the first flow path L1 of the first circulation mechanism, the second flow path L2 of the second circulation mechanism, or the third flow path L3.

[0052] The viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin can be freely set depending on the type of uncured thermosetting resin and the type of fiber. In this technology, the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin is, for example, 100 to 2000 mPa·s, preferably 400 to 800 mPa·s. By controlling the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin within this range, production stability can be improved.

[0053] (7) Fiber When producing fiber-reinforced resin using the fiber-reinforced resin production system 1 according to the present technology, there is no particular limitation on the fibers that can be used as long as the effects of the present technology are not impaired. Examples of such fibers include inorganic fibers such as aramid fibers, glass fibers, asbestos fibers, carbon fibers, silica fibers, silica-alumina fibers, alumina fibers, zirconia fibers, potassium titanate fibers, Tyranno fibers, silicon carbide fibers, and metal fibers; and organic fibers such as high-strength polyethylene fibers, polyacetal fibers, aliphatic or aromatic polyamide fibers, polyacrylate fibers, fluorine fibers, boron fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, aramid fibers, and PBO (poly-p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibers. These fibers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0054] The number of fibers is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present technology. In the present technology, the number of fibers used is, for example, 5 to 600, and preferably 10 to 400.

[0055] (8)Thermosetting resin When producing fiber-reinforced resin using the fiber-reinforced resin production system 1 according to the present technology, the thermosetting resin that can be used is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present technology. Examples of the thermosetting resin include acrylic resin, urethane resin, phenolic resin, urea-melamine resin, epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, and silicone resin. These thermosetting resins can be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, additives such as curing agents and thickeners can be added as needed. [Example]

[0056] The present technology will be described in further detail below based on examples. It should be noted that the embodiment described below is an example of a typical embodiment of the present technology, and the scope of the present technology should not be interpreted as being narrow.

[0057] <Experimental Example 1> In Experimental Example 1, we investigated the presence or absence of precipitates in the impregnation tank due to differences in the manufacturing method of the fiber-reinforced resin, fluctuations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank, and the impregnation of the fibers with the uncured thermosetting resin. In this Experimental Example 1, glass fiber was used as the fiber and Rigolac PL-110 manufactured by Showa Denko K.K. was used as the thermosetting resin.

[0058] 1. Impregnation of fibers with uncured thermosetting resin [Example 1] A first discharge section was installed at the bottom of the impregnation tank, and a hose for draining the bottom was attached, allowing the uncured thermosetting resin to be sent to the reserve tank with a pump. Similarly, a discharge section was installed at the bottom of the reserve tank, and a hose for draining the bottom was attached, allowing the uncured thermosetting resin to be sent to the impregnation tank with a pump, thereby constructing the first circulation mechanism. Next, a second discharge section was installed at the top of the side wall of the impregnation tank, allowing the uncured thermosetting resin to be sent to the reserve tank with an overflow hose pump, thereby constructing the second circulation mechanism.

[0059] Next, each pump was controlled so that the ratio of resin discharged from the reserve tank was greater than resin discharged from the impregnation tank by the first circulation mechanism and greater than resin discharged from the impregnation tank by the second circulation mechanism. The pump in the second circulation mechanism was also adjusted to pump an amount equal to or greater than the amount discharged from the reserve tank, to prevent uncured thermosetting resin from overflowing in the event that the pump in the first circulation mechanism failed. With the uncured thermosetting resin circulating, glass fiber was added and the impregnation process was carried out for five days.

[0060] [Example 2] A viscosity measuring device was added midway in the transfer of the uncured thermosetting resin from the reserve tank to the impregnation tank in Example 1, and a viscosity adjusting unit was installed that automatically supplied solvent to the reserve tank in accordance with the increase in viscosity. As in Example 1, glass fibers were added while the impregnation resin was circulating, and the impregnation treatment was carried out for 5 days.

[0061] [Comparative Example 1] A certain amount of uncured thermosetting resin was placed in the impregnation tank, and the glass fiber was then added and impregnated with the resin. The impregnation process was continued for five days, with the same amount of uncured thermosetting resin being repeatedly added from the reserve tank to the impregnation tank as the amount of uncured thermosetting resin consumed.

[0062] Comparative Example 2 A first discharge section was installed at the bottom of the impregnation tank, and a hose for draining the bottom was attached, allowing the uncured thermosetting resin to be sent to the reserve tank with a pump. Similarly, a discharge section was installed at the bottom of the reserve tank, and a hose for draining the bottom was attached, allowing the uncured thermosetting resin to be sent to the impregnation tank with a pump, creating the first circulation mechanism. While the uncured thermosetting resin was circulating, glass fiber was added and new uncured thermosetting resin in an amount equal to the amount consumed was added to the impregnation tank, and the impregnation process was carried out over a period of five days.

[0063] 2. Evaluation The amount of sediment in the impregnation tank, the fluctuation of the uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank, and the impregnation of the uncured thermosetting resin into the fibers were evaluated based on the following evaluation criteria.

[0064] [Precipitate in the impregnation tank] ○: No precipitate ×: Precipitation present

[0065] [Variations in the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank] 〇: No change ×:Fluctuates

[0066] [Impregnation of uncured thermosetting resin into fibers] ◎: Very good ○: Good △: Slight unevenness in penetration ×: Change in permeability

[0067] 3.Results The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0068] [Table 1]

[0069] 4. Discussion As shown in Table 1, no precipitate was observed at the bottom of the impregnation tank in Examples 1 and 2. Furthermore, the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank in Examples 1 and 2 was constant and stable, and the impregnation was also good.

[0070] On the other hand, sediment accumulated at the bottom of the impregnation tank in Comparative Example 1, which did not have a circulation mechanism. In Comparative Example 1, the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank did not change because the same amount of uncured thermosetting resin as the amount of uncured thermosetting resin consumed was continuously supplied from the reserve tank to the impregnation tank. However, the viscosity changed due to the evaporation of the solvent, and a change in the impregnation ability of the glass fiber was observed.

[0071] Although no precipitate was observed at the bottom of the impregnation tank in Comparative Example 2, which had only the first circulation mechanism, the amount of uncured thermosetting resin in the impregnation tank increased or decreased due to changes in the liquid delivery rate of the pump of the first circulation mechanism. As a result, unevenness was observed in the impregnation of the glass fiber. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1: Fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system 11: Impregnation tank 111: 1st discharge section 112:Second discharge section L1: First flow path L2: Second flow path L3: Third flow path P1: First pump P2: Second pump P3: Third pump 14:Reserve tank 141: Discharge section 16: Viscosity adjustment part 161: Viscosity measurement section 162: Solvent supply section

Claims

1. an impregnation tank for impregnating the fibers with uncured thermosetting resin; a first circulation mechanism that discharges the uncured thermosetting resin from the bottom of the impregnation tank and supplies it again to the impregnation tank; a second circulation mechanism that discharges the uncured thermosetting resin from near the liquid surface of the impregnation tank and supplies the uncured thermosetting resin to the impregnation tank again; A fiber reinforced resin manufacturing system comprising:

2. The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system according to claim 1 , further comprising a reserve tank that holds the uncured thermosetting resin discharged from the impregnation tank by the first circulation mechanism and the second circulation mechanism.

3. The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control unit that controls an amount of resin circulated by the first circulation mechanism and / or an amount of resin circulated by the second circulation mechanism.

4. The control unit controls the amount of circulating resin so that [amount of resin liquid discharged from the reserve tank] > [amount of resin liquid discharged from the impregnation tank by the first circulation mechanism] > [amount of resin liquid discharged from the impregnation tank by the second circulation mechanism]. The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system according to claim 3.

5. The fiber-reinforced resin manufacturing system according to claim 1 , further comprising a viscosity adjusting unit that adjusts the viscosity of the uncured thermosetting resin.

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