JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #73 - June 2012 - 33

A solution to a long-standing challenge of corrosion and other damage sustained by pipelines and containment vessels in the oil and gas industry
PipeAssure™ is a pre-impregnated system made from a glass fibre tape and a proprietary resin system. It is applied with two proprietary primer systems depending on the service conditions and technical requirements. The three key innovations are: 1) A resin developed to be applied and to cure in wet and underwater environments (as well as in dry conditions) whilst providing the necessary adhesion strength to provide a durable and fit-for-service repair and corrosion protection barrier; 2) an innovative applicator and application procedure ensuring the primers are effectively applied to the substrate; and 3) a fibre architecture providing a strong and tough interface to ensure the repairs are robust and durable. The prepreg system offers consistent quality and good handleability. It can be applied over a large service temperature range up to 110°C. Structural repairs can be designed to a service life of 25 years and the product is predicted to provide corrosion protection for 7 to 15 years.

Offshore
Winner: Petronas research Sdn. bhd. (Malaysia) Partnership Network: CSIrO (Australia)

Composite houseboat to promote ecotourism
The modular superstructure of the composite houseboat comprises two supporting curved panels (about 4m x 3.5m) with window openings, an inner ceiling module (about 4m x 2m) and a pagoda-style roof module to match the local architectural style. The panels are lined with 1-mm-thick FrP sheets covered with decorative textile to create a warm interior ambience. The modular partitions are made from composites with wood textured finish. The flooring is made from slats of bamboo and polyester resin composite. The hull is also completely made of composites (grP), which results in a 30% weight reduction with increased structural strength. The hand lay-up process was used to develop a first set of moulds and panels. At the same time, the manufacturer was encouraged to develop a vacuum bagging process as this technology is suitable for making large panels and boat hulls, both in terms of economy and quality. As compared to the traditional design, production time was reduced by 70-75% and manufacturing cost by 20%.

Marine
Winner: IITb, Indian Institute Of Technology bombay (India) Partnership Network: CTech Labs Pvt Ltd (India), Samudra Shipyard (India)

The world’s first Building Integrated Photovoltaic and Thermal (BIPV-T) roof tile made of composite materials
This innovative patented technology can be inserted in a range of casings complementary to any roof tile design, thereby providing an integrated solar roof tile solution that creates both electricity and hot water from a single unit. Tractile Solar integrates with conventional concrete roof tiles and has been designed to be installed on new homes or retrofitted to existing concrete roofs. Tractile Solar Horizon is manufactured from Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC). A very specific formulation was engineered for Tractile to ensure optimum performance in its application. reasons for using thermoset materials such as SMC: they are lightweight, exceptionally strong, corrosion resistant, and exhibit excellent thermal properties. As a bIPV-T roof tile, Tractile requires materials that do not warp or deteriorate during long-term exposure to the sun and other natural elements. Therefore, SMC is perfectly suitable for this application. Minimisation of the environmental impact was a priority in the design process.

Energy
Winner: Tractile PTy. LTd. (Australia) Partnership Network: IdI Composites (China), PIC Technology (France), CrC-ACS, Cooperative research Centre Advanced Composite Systems (Australia)

No73 June 2012 /

jec composites magazine 33

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #73 - June 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #73 - June 2012