Abstract
A model for chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) under pressure and temperature gradients is applied to the study of deposition of SiC from the pyrolysis of CH3SiCl3 within a 3-D woven fibrous preform. The model considers the infiltration of reactants into a preform with temperature gradients by applying a pressure gradient between the vapor inlet and outlet; it also takes into account the variation in concentration of the vapor precursor. A quasi-steady state approach has been adopted to simulate the matrix deposition in a 3-D unit cell. The density distribution, consolidation profile, and total fabrication period have been theoretically predicted