Melt blowing is an industrially important
process in producing
microfibrous nonwovens. Over the past decades, there has been a considerable
amount of fundamental research on this technique, driven by the development
of advanced materials in the areas of filtration, absorption, and
isolation. This work presents a comprehensive overview of the research
on the air flow field and fiber formation process. Specific attention
is concentrated on experimental and numerical studies that have been
applied. The measuring methods and devices, results of the air flow
field characteristics, and the fibers motion patterns under different
types of dies are summarized. It is concluded that the properties
of resultant nonwovens are influenced by the air flow field and fiber
formation process. These fundamental researches are significant for
the melt blowing technique in controlling the manufacturing process,
reducing energy consuming, and improving the product performance.