Protection of glass fiber composite materials for submarine cables

    A 2020 report released by the Global Wind Energy Council shows that offshore wind power installed capacity has increased from 1% of global wind power installed capacity in 2009 to more than 10% in 2019, with an installed capacity of 6.1 gigawatts. It is expected that this ratio will double by 2025, and the annual installed capacity will reach 21.5 GW by then. By 2030, the installed capacity is expected to exceed 31 gigawatts. Based on the 12-15 megawatt (MW) models mass-produced in 2024, the total annual installed capacity will exceed 2060 to nearly 2,600 units.

    Offshore wind turbines provide carbon-free utility-scale power generation. Compared with coal and natural gas, their cost and sound competitiveness are becoming more and more competitive. Since 2012, the sea has been windy.

The average cost of electricity (LCOE) for power generation dropped by 67.5% to $84/MWh, and is expected to fall to $58/MWh by 2025 due to larger turbines and megawatt-class projects.

    However, building and installing such a behemoth is only part of the challenge. Each turbine must also be connected to an offshore substation through a high-voltage cable (33 or 66 kV), and then to the onshore grid. When these submarine cables leave the wind turbine monopile foundation and bend to the seabed, they must be protected because they are usually covered under the seabed. In addition, the cable protection system must be able to withstand the excessive bending of seawater and seabed pressure ocean currents and storms, as well as the abrasion of the rocks surrounding the monopile foundation, to ensure that the power in the cable will not be interrupted. In particular, repairing damaged cables will be difficult and time-consuming, so maintenance must be kept to a minimum.

    Balmoral (Aberdeen, Scotland) is a leading product design and manufacturing company founded in 1980. Although known for meeting the extreme demands of the oil and gas industry, the company has a long history in glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP). At the same time, the company also produces advanced composite material products for various industries, including water tanks, wind turbine blades, wave and tidal energy components, underwater Christmas tree components and protective covers, as well as offshore pipes and special high-volume molded parts The guiding device and centralizer.

    We must understand the fatigue performance and long-term aging characteristics of the product, including ultraviolet light, temperature, hydrolysis and hydrothermal aging. "

Balmoral FibreFlex is the company's new high-performance protection system for submarine cables in the field of offshore wind power. The innovative glass fiber grid produced by the robot winding machine can enhance the elastic polyurethane and is mechanically locked in the end connector of each segment. Compared with the unreinforced polyurethane system, this design can achieve a 200% increase in tensile strength and a 150% increase in bending stiffness, as well as significantly improved fatigue resistance and creep resistance, thereby ensuring that the Or longer, it is impossible to predict the service life under sea conditions. Equally important, this composite design can meet thermal energy requirements through automated production processes to achieve maximum power transmission and cost requirements in the wind energy industry.

Hebei Yuniu Fiberglass Manufacturing Company Limited is a fiberglass material manufacturer with over 10-year experience, 7- year exporting experience.

We are manufacturer of fiberglass raw materials, Such asfiberglass roving, fiberglass yarn, fiberglass chopped strand mat, fiberglass chopped strands, fiberglass black mat, fiberglass woven roving, fiberglass fabric, fiberglass cloth..And so on.

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