Aerolia runs up A350 panel production

EADS' France-based aerostructure subsidiary Aerolia plans to deliver the first two Airbus A350 cockpit fuselage sections this summer in continuation of the former Airbus operation's tradition to build the "front end" of the European aircraft family. However, the target for the company is to be sold to an external investor and to balance out its nearly exclusive Airbus workload against other manufacturers.

Production is running up in the new 18,000m² (194,000ft²) composite unit at Aerolia's assembly site in Méaulte, 30km (18 miles) northeast of Amiens, which opened at the end of November 2010, even though means of production were still being installed in late May. The first A350 nose fuselage section is to be delivered "between June and September", says chief executive Christian Cornille, adding that the second one is to follow "within a month".

Unlike the cockpit fuselage sections of previous Airbus models, which consist of a single lower shell to approximately floor level, Section 11 forming the upper structure immediately around the flight deck and Section 12 extending aft until just behind the first set of passenger doors, the A350 follows a different construction.

While the majority of the nose fuselage section will have a carbon reinforced plastic (CFRP) structure and panelling, Section 11 will be made of aluminium. Four composite panels will cover the remaining part of the fuselage frame structure: the nose upper shell extending aft from above the cockpit windows; left- and right-hand side panels including the respective passenger door apertures; and a single panel to cover the lower area of sections 11 and 12, which will be the largest of the four at approximately 30m².

All panels are manufactured in the new composite unit, which is divided into three main sections. The initial clean room comprises a single production line for the composite lay-up, inclusion of stringers and preparation for curing of all four panel types. The CFRP material is built up on the male mould from the inside out, starting with the innermost layer and ending with the "outer skin". The female mould is then lowered, with the material "sandwiched" in between the two moulds so that everything can be turned around. The male mould is removed and stringers are added on the now freely accessible inner panel side.

The next section includes a 7m (23ft)-diameter, 11m-long autoclave, which allows to "bake" up to two panels - still on their female moulds - at a maximum temperature of 180°C (356°F) and pressure of 7-8bar (101-116psi) during a 10-hour curing process. The panel is then removed from the mould and freed of the protective foil to prevent adhesion to the mould. Thereafter, the panels enter a combined high-pressure water jet cum five-axis machine tool to trim the edges, cut openings and drill holes.

Solar light and heat mixture into new ideas - Batteries Laptops

Solar light and heat mixture into new ideas

Recently, U.S. researchers are jointly developing a layered hybrid solar thermal, solar photovoltaic cells and the combination of thermoelectric materials used to absorb light and heat are two different forms of solar energy. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy hopes that solar tiles can be made to replace the now widely used wood tiles, contribute to the environment. To achieve this goal, the Department of Energy to Wade Lingle United Engineering Corporation allocated $ 150,000 funding to help them for the first phase of development.

Company is currently working with Columbia University in New York. The researchers hope that the roof panels solar thermal hybrid solar conversion efficiency can reach 12%, although the efficiency is not high, but considering the cost, or attractive. At present, the model produced: in the panels under the outermost layer of protection is a photovoltaic solar cell, followed by the researchers called "functional upgrade sandwich", and plastic pipe thermoelectric materials. Header Pipe into the plastic cold water, cooling panels to play the role of outflows into the hot water heating for people to use. The following is a plastic tube bottom panels: plastic strengthening layer. Photovoltaic solar cells to solar electromagnetic radiation into electricity, and solar thermal layer will heat into electricity. Researchers, plastic pipe "feature upgrades sandwich" in the hybrid solar panels plays an important role, especially in the summer, the PV temperature is too high, the conversion efficiency becomes lower, plastic pipe cooling device at this time The role is obvious.

Right now, other than the laboratory at Columbia University tested, but the battery will be in New York Douglas College (FDA) a roof area of 6.4 square meters of buildings tested. Researchers will also calculate the cost of power generation technology, which is to decide whether a new energy technology can compete with fossil fuels, the most basic standards.

These are the first phase of the experiment. If the success of this phase, researchers will move in 6 months the second stage: from the Department of Energy for 100 million U.S. dollars in the year to further improve the technology. After the third stage may cost $ 10 million for the technology of commercial production. There are researchers who want the ultimate in five years the technology to market.

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