Ahlstrom fibre reinforcement 'aids longer blades'

FINLAND: Materials specialist Ahlstrom has launched a new product aimed at reducing fatigue on the longer blades that are now being produced by the wind industry.

Blades are getting longer, such as Siemens' 75-metre blade

The AceBlade unidirectional glass-fibre reinforcement has improved fatigue resistance for the same weight as alternative materials, the Finnish firm claims.

The company said that the resin flow properties of the product mean that there is a reduction in air voids. This can negatively affect the blades movement through the air, allowing the new reinforcement to improve performance.

Ahlstrom also believes that the reinforcement will prove more cost effective than alternatives in the vacuum infusion process through lowering raw-material costs.