Wind power
To enable more efficient energy generation, wind turbines are constantly being made bigger and their shape optimized. The weight or force absorption of individual components, such as rotor blades or nacelle cladding, can be adjusted by the strategic use of technical fabrics and composites. This not only cuts costs in production, but also makes operation more efficient in the long term.
Low weight
Rotor blades for wind turbines are continuously being increased in size and their design refined to achieve greater efficiency in power generation. The weight of the blades also plays a major role.
To keep this as low as possible, Vitrulan multiaxial non-crimp fabrics are used. The different alignment possibilities of the fibers mean that the NCF can be can be perfectly adapted to the forces that will subsequently be exerted on it. As a result, fewer reinforcement layers are needed, thereby also reducing the time and effort required for installation.
In addition, woven hybrid fabrics or hybrid NCFs as well as unidirectional (UD) non-crimp fabrics made of carbon or E-/high modulus glass (HM) can be used, as these have a low intrinsic weight and also demonstrate excellent technical and mechanical properties.
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Optimized resin flow
As components for wind turbines, such as rotor blades, spinners or nacelle cladding steadily grow in size and laminates become progressively thicker, the infusion process is becoming increasingly critical since bigger components and thicker layers need to be equally thoroughly impregnated with resin without creating any air pockets which would result in weak points.
VitrulanDie resin flow products are particularly well suited for downstream processing by means of resin infusion. HighFlow Wind Energy, specially developed for the wind energy sector, facilitates full wetting of the fabric and minimizes air bubbles. Irrespective of the product design and weight, the infusion rate can also be adjusted without limitations, enabling an up to 300% faster processing speed for the entire laminate structure. This can reduce overall operating costs by up to 15%.
High force absorption
Every day, rotor blades are subjected to strong mechanical forces that impact on the entire structure. The correct structure of a component plays a decisive role in withstanding these forces in the long term.
By aligning the fibers parallel to the load direction, Vitrulan multiaxial non-crimp fabrics and hybrid non-crimp fabrics can be tailored to the specific force exerted. This enables the maximum load to be absorbed in the predetermined direction and dissipated in the component.
Quick mold loading
Using multiaxial non-crimp fabrics or hybrid non-crimp fabrics in the form of NCF/mat combinations, is a simple way to improve working efficiency, as one layer is equivalent to four separate layers of reinforcement.
Multiaxial non-crimp fabrics and hybrid non-crimp fabrics also require fewer reinforcement layers, as the individually alignable fibers mean that one layer already has superior mechanical properties.
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Self-adhesive
Most technical textiles and composites are available with an adhesive coating compatible with polyester of vinylester up to a width of 127 cm. The adhesive holds the reinforcement in place while the mold is filled and closed.