PARACHUTE FABRIC

By :KIRAN YADAV 2010TTF3692

INTRODUCTION
A parachute is a device used to slow the movement of a person or object as it falls or moves through the air by creating a drag. Used primarily for safe descent from high altitudes (e.g. a spacecraft reentering the atmosphere, a person or object dropped from an airplane),and can also be used in horizontal configurations to slow objects like race cars that have finished their runs.

PRINCIPLE
The simple equipment works on the basic principle of 'air resistance' and 'gravity Parachute fabric have large surface area, made of a lightweight and flexible fabric, creates an air drag, which acts in opposition to the fall. The air molecules covered by the large surface area of the fabric tend to move upwards applying a reverse force to the force of gravity

There are two basic types of parachutes: Dome canopy

Rectangular parafoil, or ram-air canopy

Either type of parachute weighs less than 15 lb (7 kg)

The main components of a parachute includes:

thin fabric (canopy) suspension lines and support tapes.

TEAR PROOF

STRENGTH

AIR PERMEABILITY

ELASTICITY

TEXTURE

ABRASION RESISTANCE

RIGIDITY

UV STABILISATION

THERMAL STABILITY

DENSITY

Every physical, constructional parameter and the fabric property have their own significance with regard to their role in: Parachute construction Packing Deployment and Service life

TYPE OF FIBRES USED

The canopy of the parachute was initially made of canvas. Silk, being thinner, lighter, stronger, fire resistant and easily foldable, proved to be a better material than canvas. Then during the World war Nylon came into the existence.

NYLON FIBRE
Lightweight and very strong Stretchable Drapes well Durable. Smooth. Dries quickly. Resistant to abrasion and chemicals

TERYLENE (POLYESTER)

still remains to be the first choice for parachute canopies, more recently Terylene, a variety of polyester fabric, and Kevlar, a strong and heat resistant synthetic fiber, has also been used to make parachutes

KEVLAR

DYNEEMA AND SPECTRA

ECPE fibres are the lightest of all fibres. Fabrics and tapes manufactured from these fibres would also be the lightest.

Drawback Have a low melting point of 1470C. Their elongation properties are poor.

CONTINUED

Their high strength to weight ratio are ideally suited for aerospace applications. Modifications of their thermal and elongation properties would make them strong contenders for application in parachute design

BASIS OF CONSIDERATION OF PROPERTIES

The fibres used for making canopy are judged on its behaviour during :
1.
2. 3.

Packing Deployment Descent

DURING PACKING
Before use it is carefully folded and held folded in suitable container, its quick and positive opening when released from the container, is deemed to depend largely upon the ability of the layers of the cloth to spring along the fold thus permitting air to rush in and quickly inflate the envelope Lower density of fibres can bring about significant reduction in packed volume of a parachute system A coated fabric have a volume atleast 10% that of uncoated when folded.

DURING DEPLOYMENT
Shock loading takes place, involves very high speed or at a high strain-rate. So sufficient time is not available for the viscous components of the fibre to react very fast, consequently the fibre undergoes a brittle fracture. Therefore under shock loading conditions the fibres such as nylon and polyester behave more ideally because these fibres show high tenacity and adequate elongation with sufficiently high melting point. Higher level of melting point is also necessary as temperature goes up during high rate of straining or shock load conditions

DURING DESCENT
Air permeability is directly responsible for rate of descent, opening load and stability. While high rate of descent can cause damage to the load, esp. human beings, during descent as well as at landing, a lower rate of descent would delay the delivery of load thus have serious adverse affects in a hostile environment. So use fabric of right air permeability. Density and time taken to complete the fall have a direct relationship.

CONTINUED.
Rigidity of the material determine the time taken to complete the fall. Rigidity directly affects the shape of the parachute, and shape in turn affects the stability. If the parachute is stable, it will descend slowly, but if it swings owing either to the shape or the movement of the parachutist, it will lose air and come down at a greater speed. The texture of the parachute fabric also affects the drag, but the impact is minimal.

FABRIC REQUIREMENT
As a part of strength requirement the cloth must offer high resistance to the continuation of a tear already started, that is rupture travelling crosswise from yarn to yarn. Nylon fabric is woven in a specialized manner, with extra thick thread, to create a pattern on small squares,these small squares avoid the tears from spreading. Mockleno weave have good tear resistance than plain weave.

THANK

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