Posted: 22 June 2023
What are Advanced Composites?
Advanced Composites are a class
of materials that are engineered by combining two or more constituent materials
to create a composite material with superior properties compared to the individual
components. These composites are characterised by their high-performance
characteristics, which include exceptional strength, stiffness, lightweight
nature, durability, and resistance to various environmental factors.
The constituents of advanced
composites typically include a reinforcement material and a matrix material.
The reinforcement material is usually a high-strength fibre or fabric, such as
carbon fibres, glass fibres, aramid fibres (e.g., Kevlar), or natural fibres.
These fibres provide the composite with excellent mechanical properties, such
as high tensile strength and stiffness. The matrix material, on the other hand,
acts as a binder, holding the reinforcement together and transferring the load
between fibres. The matrix is often a polymer resin, such as epoxy, polyester,
or phenolic resin.
The combination of the
reinforcement and matrix materials in advanced composites leads to synergistic
effects, resulting in exceptional material properties. The reinforcement
provides high strength and stiffness, while the matric protects the
reinforcement, provides toughness, and improves the overall structural
integrity. The resulting composite material exhibits a combination of
properties that is superior to those of the individual components.
Process Cooling and Advanced Composites
Process cooling plays a crucial
role in advanced composites research and production by maintaining controlled
temperatures and providing efficient heat dissipation. Some examples of how
process cooling is utilised in the context of advanced composites are below:
Temperature Control
- Advanced
composites often undergo curing or polymerisation processes where the resin
matrix is cured to achieve the desired material properties. Temperature control
is critical during these processes to ensure proper resin cure and avoid
undesirable effects such as incomplete curing, resin degradation, or
dimensional distortion. Process cooling equipment, such as chillers, is used to
regulate the temperature of the curing environment, ensuring that the composite
material cures uniformly and consistently.
Heat Dissipation
- During the manufacturing
processes of advanced composites, such as resin infusion, resin transfer
moulding, or prepreg curing, exothermic reactions occur. These reactions generate
heat, which needs to be efficiently dissipated to prevent overheating and
thermal damage to the composite material. Process cooling equipment is employed
to remove excess heat and maintain the required temperature range, ensuring the
structural integrity and quality of the final composite product.
Mould Cooling
- In processes like composite
moulding or compression moulding, moulds are used to shape the composite
material. Effective cooling of these moulds is essential to accelerate the
curing process, improve cycle times, and enhance overall productivity. Process
cooling systems are used to circulate heat transfer fluids through the moulds,
extracting heat and facilitating faster and controlled curing.
Ambient Temperature Control
- In certain advanced composites
processes, such as filament winding or lay-up, ambient temperature control is
critical to maintain the optimal conditions for resin application, fibre
alignment, and subsequent curing. Process cooling equipment can be used to
regulate the ambient temperature, ensuring consistent material behaviour and
preventing variations due to temperature fluctuations.
Material Storage
- Advanced composite
materials often have specific storage requirements to maintain their integrity
and prevent degradation. Cooling equipment can be employed to provide
controlled storage environments, such as temperature-controlled chambers, to
preserve the composite materials’ properties, stability, and shelf life.
Research and Development
- Process cooling is also
vital in advanced composites research and development. Researchers often
conduct experiments and testing at different temperatures to study the material
behaviour, optimise processes, and characterise the properties of composite
materials. Process cooling equipment allows precise temperature control during
these experiments, ensuring reliable and reproducible results.
Recirculating Chillers
Chillers are widely employed in
advanced composites manufacturing processes. They use refrigeration technology
to remove heat from the system and maintain the desired temperature.
Recirculating chillers offer several benefits in advanced composites research and
production processes, including:
Precise temperature control:
- Advanced composites often
require precise temperature control during curing, moulding, or other
manufacturing processes. Recirculating chillers provide accurate and stable
temperature control, ensuring that the composite materials cure or solidify
under optimal conditions. The ability to maintain a consistent temperature
profile throughout the process helps to achieve uniform material properties and
minimises the risk of defects.
Efficient heat dissipation:
- Advanced composites
processes generate heat during curing or moulding due to exothermic reactions. Recirculating
chillers effectively dissipate the excess heat, preventing overheating and
ensuring the integrity of the composite material. The efficient heat
dissipation capability of recirculating chillers helps to maintain process
stability, reduces the risk of thermal damage, and improves the overall quality
of the final product.
Wide temperature range:
- Recirculating chillers
offer a wide temperature range, allowing researchers and manufacturers to
control the process temperature according to the specific requirements of
advanced composites. Different composite materials and manufacturing processes
may demand specific temperature profiles. Recirculating chillers provide the
flexibility to achieve and maintain the desired temperature range, enabling the
optimisation of material properties and process parameters.
Ease of use and maintenance:
- Recirculating chillers are
designed to be user-friendly, with intuitive controls and interfaces for easy
operation. They often come with built-in safety features, alarms, and system
diagnostics, ensuring reliable and hassle-free operation. Maintenance
requirements are typically minimal, and routine tasks such as filter changes
and fluid refills can be easily performed. The user-friendly nature and low
maintenance needs of recirculating chillers contribute to the efficiency and
productivity of advanced composites research and production processes.
Process optimisation:
- The precise temperature
control provided by recirculating chillers allows researchers and manufacturers
to optimise advanced composites processes. Fine-tuning the temperature
parameters can lead to improved material properties, enhanced curing kinetics,
and better control over the manufacturing process. Recirculating chillers
enable researchers to explore different temperature profiles and optimise the
composite material’s performance and characteristics.
Compatibility with process equipment:
- Recirculating chillers are
designed to be compatible with various process equipment used in advanced
composites research and production. They can be seamlessly integrated into the
setup, such as moulds, curing chambers, or other process equipment. This
compatibility ensures efficient cooling across the entire process, facilitating
reliable and consistent results.
Heat Exchangers
Heat exchangers play a vital role in advanced composites processes by facilitating efficient heat transfer. They enable the exchange of heat between the cooling fluid and the process fluid, offering comparable advantages to a recirculating chiller. However, heat exchangers come with the added benefits of lower initial cost and reduced energy consumption. These factors contribute to efficient heat transfer, precise temperature control, and ultimately enhance the overall quality of advanced composites. Some of the benefits provided by heat exchangers in advanced composites research and production include:
Efficient heat transfer:
- Heat exchangers are
designed to facilitate efficient heat transfer between two fluids, typically
the process fluid and a heat transfer fluid. In advanced composites processes,
heat exchangers efficiently remove excess heat generated during curing or
moulding, helping to maintain the desired temperature range. By rapidly and effectively
dissipating heat, heat exchangers prevent overheating, minimise thermal damage,
and ensure the structural integrity and quality of the composite material.
Efficient heat dissipation:
- Heat exchangers efficiently
remove excess heat generated during the graphene synthesis process. CVD
processes, for example, involve the decomposition of carbon-generation. Heat
exchangers facilitate efficient cooling, preventing overheating and minimising thermal
gradients across the graphene layers.
Temperature control:
- Heat exchangers allow
temperature control in advanced composite processes. By removing heat from the
process fluid, they help to regulate the temperature within the desired range.
Heat exchangers contribute to temperature stability, ensuring consistent curing
conditions throughout the process. This control and stability results in
uniform material properties, reduced variability, and improved overall product
quality.
Process efficiency and productivity:
- The efficient heat transfer
provided by heat exchangers contributes to improved process efficiency and
productivity in advanced composites manufacturing. By quickly removing excess
heat, heat exchangers reduce curing or moulding cycle times, allowing for
faster production. This enhanced efficiency helps to increase throughput,
reduce energy consumption, and optimise overall process performance.
Customisation and adaptability:
- Heat exchangers can be
customised and adapted to specific process requirements. They can be designed
and engineered to fit the unique needs of advanced composites research and
production setups. Heat exchangers can be integrated into existing process
equipment, moulds, or curing chambers, allowing for seamless operation and
efficient cooling. This customisation ensures that the heat exchangers are
optimised for the specific process parameters, resulting in improved
performance and tailored solutions.
Scalability:
- Heat exchangers are
available in various sizes and configurations, allowing for scalability in
advanced composites research and production. They can be employed in
laboratory-scale research or scaled up for industrial production. The
scalability of heat exchangers ensures consistent and reliable heat transfer
across different volumes and production scales, accommodating diverse
manufacturing requirements.
Cost-effectiveness:
- Heat exchangers offer
cost-effectiveness in advanced composites research and production processes.
They provide an efficient means of heat removal without the need for continuous
energy input. Heat exchangers can be designed for optimal energy efficiency,
reducing operational costs in the long run. Additionally, heat exchangers
minimise the risk of thermal damage to the composite material, resulting in
cost savings associated with minimising waste and rejected parts.
It's important to note that the
specific cooling equipment used may vary depending on the process requirements,
facility infrastructure, and budget constraints. The selection and design of
process cooling systems are often customised to meet the unique needs of
advanced composites research and production.
We are excited to be exhibiting at Advanced Materials 2023. Find us on stand 1418 for a chat about how we can support with your process cooling requirements.