Lifeboats benefit from reinforcement

applications news

New future for wind generated A COMPOSITE disc joint which

are able

is said to enhance

electricity.

of wind

the viability

generated

electrical

power has been developed

by

to generate 1.5 MW of

“This disc is a product

of

our work in the use of compos-

UK firm GKN Technology. The company has exploited

ites for car components,” says GKN’s Dr Andrew Pollard. “Our

the

breakthrough

properties

of fibre

forced composites shaft coupling to

reduce

rein-

in a drive-

that is claimed

cost,

weight

and

materials

usage and

operating

efficiency. The cou-

pling is manufactured press moulding

improve by hot

of a glass/epoxy

preform which has controlled fibre

orientations

to provide

was to

design

a coupling which remains cool even when transmitting

1.5 MW

of power. It is this unique property

which

has

overcome

a

major obstacle in the design of very

large,

efficient

turbines

which are critical to the future of this energy source.” The automotive

version

of

the desired properties.

the coupling

The disc joint is a critical component in constructing larger and more efficient wind

used in motor sports and is under evaluation by car manufacturers. The joint is also

turbines which are more than 90 m high with rotor blades of 70 m in diameter. The turbines

being considered for other applications, including cooling and marine towers, pumps

can be sited far out to sea and

propulsion.

Lifeboats

electricity

has already been

GKN’s composite disc joint i: of more efficient wind turbines.

benefit from reinforcement

FENDERS for lifeboats, currently being built in Sweden, are being constructed from a composite of carbon fibre reinforced

polyurethane, supplied by Hyperlast Ltd. Using novel construction techniques in the hull and fender areas the designers

at the Swedish Sea Rescue Institution (SSRI) have enhanced the stability of the vessels. As a permanent fixture on the vessel the design required the fender to be solid and puncture proof, properties provided

ing of woven glass fibre layered

by Hyperplast’s reinforced polyurethane, recommended to SSRI by Danish firm PUR Teknik. The fender is constructed with a ‘D-section’ design on the hull

with epoxy vinyl ester. “We have been sweating

with layers of foam cut to shape and covered with coatings of carbon fibre reinforcement and sprayable polyurethane elastomer.

Slightly

narrow

at the

bow and the front quarter

of

REINFORCEDplastics

Jan

uary 19 99

to overcome processing problems with the use of carbon fibre for the woven reinforcement in the polyurethane elastomer fenders,” says Stein Neilson a director of PUR Skovgaard in Teknik of Denmark. “We have found that allows the technique our

the stern the fender increases in depth to a maximum of approx-

Hyperlast polyurethane and reinforcement to work together, enhancing the tear and penetration resistance of the final

imately 700 mm.

composite.”

the boat the fender gradually widens along the sides. Towards

4

The vessel’s hull, deck, tanks, motorbeds, bulkheads and inner stiffening ribs are constructed from a sandwich structure consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam with an outer coat-