AN HYBRID GLASS/HEMP FIBERS SOLUTION FRP PIPES: TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF HAND LAY UP VS LIGHT RTM
- Dipartimento di Metodologie Fisiche e Chimiche per I'Ingegneria (DMFCI), Universita di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6 95125 Catania (Italy)
- Institut fuer Polymerwerkstoffe und Kunststofftechnik (PUK), TU-Clausthal, Agricolastrasse 6 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany)
The aim of the present research was to investigate the replacement of glass fibers with hemp fibers for applications in the piping industry. The choice of hemp fibers was mainly related to the needs, expressed by some companies operating in this sector, for cost reduction without adversely reducing the performances of the pipes. Two processing techniques, namely hand lay up and light RTM, were evaluated. The pipe selected for the study was a curved fitting (90 deg.) flanged at both ends. The fitting must withstand an internal pressure of 10 bar and the presence of acid aqueous solutions. The original lay-up used to build the pipe is a sequence of C-glass, glass mats and glass fabric. Commercial epoxy vinyl ester resin was used as thermoset matrix.Hemp fibers mats were selected as potential substitute of glass fibers mats because of their low cost and ready availability from different commercial sources. The data obtained from the mechanical characterization were used to define a favorable design of the pipe using hemp mats as internal layer. The proposed design for the fittings allowed for a cost reduction of about 24% and a weight saving of about 23% without any drawback in terms of the final performances.The light RTM techniques was developed on purpose for the manufacturing of the curved pipe. The comparison between hand lay up and light RTM evidenced a substantial cost reduction when light RTM was used.
- OSTI ID:
- 21152514
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1042; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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