In this paper, the diffusion law of helium gas inside composite materials was obtained through numerical research and an experimental approach. The influence of fiber and the fiber-resin interface on permeability was discussed in the actual numerical model. It was found that the leak rate and the mass concentration at the fiber-resin interface were higher than those in the resin, and the leak rate symmetrically distributed along the horizontal central line. Meanwhile, a homogenized model for the leak rate simulation in carbon fiber composite components was established, and its accuracy was verified through the experiment and the actual numerical model. The simulated result and the test data demonstrated that the leak rate increased with the pressure and decreased with the thickness of the specimen.
Keywords: carbon fiber reinforced composite; finite element simulation; leak experiment; leak rate.