Environmentally friendly and energy efficient pultrusion
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Metallurgy and Materials
Abstract
The aim of this project is to develop a new pultrusion technique that is environmentally friendly and one that permits new and fast-curable resin systems to be evaluated. In the conventional process, the reinforcing fibres are impregnated in a resin bath and then passed through a heated die to cross-link the resin and to shape the pultruded component. In the new manufacturing technique, the components of the resin will be stored in separate containers and pumped on-demand using a custom-designed liquid delivery system. Efficient and effective impregnation of the fibres will be achieved using a novel combination of an injection-head and electro hydrodynamic atomisation, and fibre spreading using mechanical and electrostatic-based techniques. The background to this current proposal is the successful completion of an EPSRC/DTI project on Clean Filament Winding where the technology for injecting the reinforcing fibres without the use of a resin bath was demonstrated. However, in the current project, new technology will be developed for the pultrusion process where up to 20 individual fibre bundles will be impregnated without using a conventional resin bath. The cure kinetics of the fast-curing resins will be evaluated and appropriate models will be used to predict the impregnation rates for the spread fibre bundles. Previously developed fibre optic sensors will be used to enable real-time chemical process monitoring and structural integrity assessment in-service. The green credentials of this new manufacturing technique will be assessed using life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Gerard Fernando (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Machavaram V
(2014)
Multi-point monitoring of cross-linking reactions
in Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Irfan M
(2013)
The design and optimisation of a rig to enable the lateral spreading of fibre bundles
in Journal of Composite Materials
Pandita S
(2012)
Clean wet-filament winding - Part 1: design concept and simulations
in Journal of Composite Materials
Irfan M
(2016)
A modified pultrusion process
in Journal of Composite Materials
Irfan M
(2011)
Lateral spreading of a fiber bundle via mechanical means
in Journal of Composite Materials
Machavaram V
(2012)
F 2 -laser ablation of Fabry-Perot cavities in optical fibres: chemical sensors
in Journal of Optics
Malik S
(2011)
Deformation of sample pans used in differential scanning calorimeters
in Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Mahendran R
(2009)
Fiber-optic sensor design for chemical process and environmental monitoring
in Optics and Lasers in Engineering
Nair A
(2015)
Process monitoring of fibre reinforced composites using a multi-measurand fibre-optic sensor
in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical
Pandita S
(2012)
Simultaneous DSC-FTIR spectroscopy: Comparison of cross-linking kinetics of an epoxy/amine resin system
in Thermochimica Acta
| Description | Three major classes items of equipment were built, commissioned and evaluated namely, a pultrusion machine, a resin dispenser and resin impregnation units. These items were integrated successfully and feedback control between the pultrusion machine, the resin dispensing and the rein impregnation units was achieved. • The basic philosophy that was adopted was to spread the filament in the bundle prior to impregnation. Two fibre spreading units were designed, manufactured and evaluated. A new concept based on "tension-release" for spreading the filaments in a bundle was proposed and published. • The new environmentally friendly clean pultrusion technique was demonstrated successfully in the laboratory using four classes of thermosetting resins (epoxy, vinyl ester, polyester and polyurethane). • Although site trials were not part of the original Second Level Plan (SLP), a number of site trials were undertaken and the new pultrusion technique was demonstrated successfully on site. • Binder specific E-glass fibres were supplied by PPG for the matrices that were used in this project. • A range of polyurethane resin formulations were provided by HUN and evaluated by UB. • A unique multi-functional fibre optic sensor system was optimised over the course of this project. This sensor system was capable of providing information on strain, temperature, refractive index and cross-linking kinetics. • The fibre-optic Fresnel sensor system was adopted for integration into the pultruded composites. • An anomaly was observed when acrylate-coated optical fibre sensors are embedded in composites and subjected to a temperature regime above the glass transition of the acrylate. This anomaly is not observed when polyimide coated fibre sensors are used. • A life cycle analysis was carried out on the conventional and clean pultrusion techniques where the "green" credentials of the new pultrusion technique was demonstrated. • An exploitation strategy was developed for new build and retrofitting the clean pultrusion technique. |
| Exploitation Route | (i) Impregnation of reinforcing fibre bundles (ii) Coating of fabrics (iii) Filament spreading (iv) Process monitoring using optical fibre sensors (v) Multi-component resin delivery system (i) New-build pultrusion machine: This will be led by UK's only manufacturer of pultrusion machined (Pultrex Ltd) (ii) Retrofits: Alta Innovations and Mould Life Ltd. (iii) Resin delivery system: CTM Ltd (iv) Binder-specific E-glass fibres: PPG Industries (v) Resin systems: Huntsman (vi) Resin impregnation unit: university of Birmingham Overall exploitation is led by Mould Life Ltd. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Construction,Creative Economy,Education,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Transport |
| URL | http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?hl=en&user=eFZ8Bj0AAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate |
| Description | Part 1 give the background and key achievements. Three major classes items of equipment were built, commissioned and evaluated namely, a pultrusion machine, a resin dispenser and resin impregnation units. These items were integrated successfully and feedback control between the pultrusion machine, the resin dispensing and the rein impregnation units was achieved. • The basic philosophy that was adopted was to spread the filament in the bundle prior to impregnation. Two fibre spreading units built. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
| Sector | Education,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | DSTL |
| Amount | £134,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | DSTLX1000064096 |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2012 |
| End | 01/2016 |
| Description | DSTL MSc Bursary Top-Up |
| Amount | £24,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2016 |
| End | 03/2016 |
| Description | Demonstration of z-axix fibre composites |
| Amount | £34,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Ministry of Defence (MOD) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2012 |
| End | 01/2013 |
| Description | E3COMP |
| Amount | £285,617 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AB135A |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2010 |
| End | 07/2013 |
| Description | Fibralspec |
| Amount | £750,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 604248 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 02/2014 |
| End | 01/2017 |
| Description | Flame Retardants |
| Amount | £34,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Zero Ignition |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Canada |
| Start | 09/2013 |
| End | 08/2015 |
| Description | Mosaic - Composites in Ships |
| Amount | £350,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 314037 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 02/2012 |
| End | 01/2015 |
| Description | Next Generation Filament Winding |
| Amount | £285,617 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BD072K |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2010 |
| End | 04/2013 |
| Description | Optimus |
| Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 01/2013 |
| End | 12/2016 |
| Description | The design and evaluation of a new class of inter-fiament hybrids |
| Amount | £134,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2012 |
| End | 03/2016 |
| Description | CTM Ltd |
| Organisation | CTM Litigation and Tax Services |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | TSB Project Partner: Responsible for designing and providing the resin dispensing unit. TSB total eligible costs for CTM. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Huntsman Polyurethanes Ltd |
| Organisation | Huntsman International |
| Department | Huntsman Polyurethanes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | TSB Project Partner responsible for supplying a new range of polyurethane resins. TSB Total eligible costs for Huntsman Polyurethanes Ltd. This partner was responsible for providing ne polyurethane resin formulations. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | TSB Project Partner: PPG, UK Ltd |
| Organisation | PPG Industries, UK. Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | TSB Project partner: PPG's role was to supply binder-specific E-glass fibres for the project. PPG supplied fibres to the University and a project partner for the site trials. Mark Hudson has also contributed to a number of training activities and publications. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | TSB Project Partner: Pultrex Ltd |
| Organisation | Pultrex Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Puktrex Ltd was the Project Leader. TSB Project: Total eligible cost for Pultrex. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Title | (i) Fibre spreading; and (ii) Z-axis xomposites. |
| Description | These technologies have been created from my last EPSRC grant where fibre spreading was used to increase the impregnation efficiency. During the research on electrostatically-assisted impregnation, I developed vertically-aligned sandwich composites. |
| IP Reference | Two patent applications in progress |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | Two patent application are in progress. |
| Title | A RESIN APPLICATOR AND A METHOD OF USING THE SAME |
| Description | The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for applying resin to a plurality of fibres, comprising: a housing (10) having at least one fibre entry port (20) and at least one fibre exit port; at least one fibre spreading surface (50a) arranged, in use, to spread a plurality of fibres as they move over the at least one fibre spreading surface; and at least one resin applicator head located within the housing, the at least one resin applicator head being arranged, in use, to apply resin to the fibres as they move past the at least one resin applicator head. |
| IP Reference | WO2010041027 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2010 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | 1. Assessing market potential 2. Two of teh partners have been tasked to market the technology |
| Company Name | Sensors and Composites Ltd |
| Description | To exploit the sensors and composites innovations developed by the PI via EPSRC and TSB funding. |
| Year Established | 2015 |
| Impact | Incorporated in 2015. |
| Description | NEC Composites Show |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Mould Life stand at the NEC Composites Show. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |