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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.

The American Wind Energy Association also reports growth in wind energy jobs, revenues of more than $1 billion from wind energy and expected offshore wind growth.

Despite marking 2020 as the best year in history for the global wind industry, GWEC warns that new wind power capacity needs to be installed three times faster over the next decade to achieve global climate targets.

For its new line of composite well water tanks, Amtrol worked with Roth Composite Machinery on an automated process for faster, more easily tracked production.

SeaTwirl, a Swedish floating offshore wind turbine developer, says the patent helps protect technical solutions that make its wind turbines cheaper to build and maintain.

The ST2 system, tested with pitch carbon fiber and alumina fiber, enables high-speed wet, dry and towpreg winding.

ABN AMRO’s Energy Transition Fund acquired 34% of Fiberline shares, implements ambitious growth strategy for pultruded wind blades.

From infrastructure solutions to consumer products, Polish recycler Anmet and Netherlands-based researchers are developing new methods for repurposing wind turbine blades and other composite parts.

Casa dos Ventos placed a 534 MW order for the second stage of the Rio do Vento wind park, making it the largest wind project in Latin America to date at more than 1 GW. 

Fiber winding technology achieves greater power at higher rotating speeds via high-tension composite wrapping, resulting in enhanced fiber-volume ratio, dimensional stability and lighter parts.

Project aims to demonstrate additive manufacturing of >100-meter-long composite wind blades with >25% reduced cost.