Research team (32)

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Study of the manufacture of anticorrosive fiberglass composite pipes for saltwater transfer.

Project description :

Composite materials are attracting growing interest from many sectors such as industries (aerospace, automotive, maritime, petroleum, energy, ...), fluid transport (drinking water, waste water, gas, chemical, ...) and construction of light and resistant structures (infrastructure, housing, amenities ...). They have undeniable advantages over metal alloys and conventional metals used for several decades. In particular, they are lighter so that mass savings offer greater flexibility in the design and choice of materials during the implementation phase. In addition, they can be denser which gives them a high mechanical strength. Finally; they have qualities that endure over time which results in a sufficiently low sensitivity to the phenomenon of corrosion. To enjoy these benefits, the proposed research program's objectives are to contribute to the resolution of the acute problem of corrosion in the interaction of salt water with metal pipes in seawater desalination plants. In the desalination process, the fluid transport conduits and treatment tanks or intermediate storage are highly subject to the adverse action of corrosion. The proposed project consists of 4 phases: (i) design of a process for manufacturing composite material pipelines based on filament winding process, (Ii) developing a program for the production of tubular composite material (see eventualities for incorporating local additions) (iii) execution of a test program using the effects of the environment on the properties of the composite (Environmental Stress Cracking Resistance, ESCR) and (iv) a property optimization study based service environments, supposed to be aggressive, using simulation tools, calculation of reliability and service life.