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High-pressure gas storage vessels represent one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for advanced composites, particularly for filament-wound carbon fiber composites. Although they are used in self-contained breathing apparatuses and provide oxygen and gas storage on aerospace vehicles, the primary end markets are for storage of liquid propane gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen gas (H₂).

Filament winding is a specialized technique used in composite manufacturing, involving the precise and automated winding of continuous fibers onto a rotating mandrel or mold. This method allows for the creation of strong and seamless structures, optimizing the alignment and orientation of the fibers to meet specific design requirements. Filament winding is employed in producing cylindrical or conical composite parts, such as pipes, pressure vessels, and aerospace components, enabling engineers to tailor the strength, stiffness, and performance characteristics of the final product.

Processes in composites manufacturing encompass a diverse array of techniques employed to fabricate composite materials. These processes include methods like hand layup, where layers of resin and reinforcement materials are manually placed, and vacuum infusion, where a vacuum draws resin into a preform. Other techniques like compression molding, filament winding, and automated methods such as 3D printing are utilized to create intricate and specialized composite structures. Each process offers unique advantages in terms of precision, scalability, and efficiency, catering to diverse industry needs. As technology advances, newer methods are emerging, promising faster production cycles, reduced waste, and increased customization, driving the evolution of composite manufacturing towards more sophisticated and versatile methodologies.

The wind energy market has long been considered the world’s largest market, by volume, for glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites — and increasingly, carbon fiber composites — as larger turbines and longer wind blades are developed, requiring higher performance, lighter weight materials. The outer skins of wind and tidal turbine blades generally comprise infused, GFRP laminates sandwiching foam core. Inside the blade, rib-like shear webs bonded to spar caps reinforce the structure. Spar caps are often made from GFRP or, as blade lengths lengthen, pultruded carbon fiber for additional strength.

Powered test campaign at the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) facility in Marknesse, Netherlands, and up to $250 million in capital raise advance the eVTOL company toward its first type-conforming aircraft.

Internally dubbed Sears II, the 40,000-square-foot addition will be used to store raw materials and prepare infusion kits, with new equipment investments to prepare for increased demand in the wind sector in 2024.

TPI Composites, Tex-Tech and Carbon Rivers partner to process wind blades, pyrolyze the material and use the recovered glass fibers to give new life to damaged existing pipelines.

First offshore wind lease sale in the Pacific results in more than $757 million in winning bids for five lease areas in the U.S., adding to the Carolinas and New York Bight.

On top of reducing cost and taking advantage of pre-existing infrastructure, the enhanced, modular design incorporates a dynamic mooring system and geometry that minimizes environmental impact.

The 18-member consortium will develop and use green chemistry processes to recycle composite materials and, among others, optimize the dismantling of wind farms through advanced software.

Center for Manufacturing Excellence to be established in UAE to accelerate manufacture and deployment of next-generation offshore wind platforms.

REFRESH consortium aims to develop, demonstrate a novel system to enable improved recycling of glass fiber-reinforced composites derived from wind turbine dismantling or reblading.

New ReWind service will enable recyclability assessment and sustainable end-of-life planning for wind turbines.

The fall/autumn 2022 Design Catalog presents designs and details of structures and products made from end-of-life repurposed wind turbine blades, with a new section on marine structures.