TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a temperature monitoring device, a temperature monitoring method, and a composite material manufacturing method.

Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent. Application No. 2018-061240, filed on Mar. 28, 2018, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, an example of forming a fuselage and wings of an aircraft with a composite material such as fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) has been increased. As an FRP product manufacturing method, a method using a heating furnace such as an autoclave and an oven is known. In this method, after an intermediate product is molded by laying up prepregs, the intermediate product is cured by heating/pressurizing in a heating furnace. The prepregs are sheet-like members which are obtained by infiltrating reinforcing fibers into thermosetting resins.

The thermosetting resin starts curing reaction through heating. A reaction speed of the curing reaction rises according to a temperature of the thermosetting resin. In addition, some thermosetting resins self-generate heat as the curing reaction proceeds. That in controlling the curing reaction of the thermosetting resin, it necessary to manage heat input from the outside and the self-heating in a balanced manner.

Various techniques have been proposed so far to achieve an object of realizing such temperature management. As an example of such techniques, a technique disclosed in PTL 1 below is known. PTL 1 discloses the technique of controlling a heating temperature based on prediction on a temperature change of a thermosetting material (resin).

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[PTL 1] Japanese Patent No. 5599536

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

However, in the technique disclosed in PTL 1, a temperature of a composite material in a furnace is acquired only based on a predicted value of the temperature change. Therefore, there is a possibility that a temperature corresponding to the actual temperature of the composite material in the furnace cannot be acquired.

The present invention is devised to solve the problems, and an object thereof to provide a temperature monitoring device, a temperature monitoring method, and a composite material manufacturing method that allow easily acquiring a temperature corresponding to an actual temperature of a composite material in a furnace.

Solution to Problem

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a temperature monitoring device that is able to be disposed in a furnace together with a composite material. The temperature monitoring device includes a pair of inner components that each have a temperature detection surface and overlap each other such that the temperature detection surfaces face each other, a temperature detecting unit that is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the temperature detection surfaces, at least a pair of outer components that are provided on opposite sides to the temperature detection surfaces of the pair of inner components respectively, and an adjustment part that is capable of adjusting a dimension of a gap between the inner component and each of the outer components in a thickness direction.

In the configuration, by disposing and heating the temperature monitoring device in a furnace together with a composite material, the temperature monitoring device can reproduce a temperature change of the composite material under the same condition as the composite material. Further, the temperature monitoring device can freely and easily change a heat capacity of the temperature monitoring device by the adjustment part adjusting the dimension of the gap between the inner component and the outer component.

Therefore, the temperature monitoring device can easily acquire a temperature corresponding to an actual temperature of the composite material in the furnace.

The temperature monitoring device of a second aspect is the temperature monitoring device of the first aspect in which a plurality of pairs of the outer components are provided.

The temperature monitoring device of a third aspect is the temperature monitoring device of the first or second aspect including a heat insulating supporting member that covers the inner component, the outer component, and the gap from both sides in a direction intersecting the thickness direction and has a higher heat insulating property than the inner component and the outer component.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a temperature monitoring method using a temperature monitoring device that is able to be disposed in a furnace together with a composite material. The temperature monitoring device includes a pair of inner components that each have a temperature detection surface and overlap each other such that the temperature detection surfaces face each other, a temperature detecting unit that is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the temperature detection surfaces, and at least a pair of outer components that are provided on opposite sides to the temperature detection surfaces of the pair of inner components respectively. The temperature monitoring method includes a thickness determination step of determining a dimension of a gap between the inner component and each of the outer components in a thickness direction based on a heat capacity of the composite material and an adjustment step of adjusting the dimension determined in the thickness determination step.

In the method, by disposing and heating the temperature monitoring device in the furnace together with the composite material, the temperature monitoring method allows the temperature change of the composite material to be reproduced under the same condition as the composite material. Further, the temperature monitoring method allows the heat capacity of the temperature monitoring device to be freely and easily changed by adjusting the dimension of the gap between the inner component and the outer component in the adjustment step.

Therefore, the temperature monitoring method allows a temperature corresponding to an actual temperature of the composite material in the furnace to be easily acquired.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a composite material manufacturing method including the temperature monitoring method according to the fourth aspect and heating step of heating the composite material in the furnace.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the aspects described above, a temperature corresponding to the actual temperature of the composite material in the furnace can be easily acquired.

