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ROHACELL® successfully used in
the rear-pressure bulkhead prototype
of Chinese passenger jets
For the first time, a sandwich composite is
being used in the primary load-bearing structure
of a commercial aircraft built in China.
In the prototype of the first large Chinese airliner,
the C919, the stringers of the rear-pressure
bulkhead, also a prototype, are made
of ROHACELL®, a rigid foam based on PMI
(polymethacrylimide) from Evonik, to enhance
the stiffness and buckling properties
of the part. Fast delivery of a high-quality,
ready-to-use ROHACELL® shape from Evonik
has made it possible to manufacture the rearpressure
bulkhead prototype within five
months after the CAD design files were released.
The successful rollout of the prototype
in mid-October has further validated the
engineering design and manufacturing process,
which will ensure a smooth development
process for other composite parts for
the aircraft.
Evonik played the role of a strategic partner
during the design and development of the
prototype. The ROHACELL® material solution
not only helps realize the complicated
spherical structure, but ensures its functions.
Environmentally sound production
of sodium cyanide in Russia:
Evonik grants licenses to EPC
At the end of 2011, the Russian company Korund Cyan will commission,
in the Nizhny Novgorod province of the Russian Federation,
one of the most advanced facilities in the world for manufacturing
sodium cyanide. The plant will rely on CyPlus GmbH‘s innovative
CyPlus Cyanide Advanced Technology to produce the sodium cyanide.
It will also produce the precursor hydrogen cyanide by using a
technology from Evonik‘s Perfor mance Polymers Business Unit.
CyPlus GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Evonik Industries.
Performance Polymers and CyPlus have now granted licenses to
the engineering company, EPC Engineering Consulting GmbH, headquartered
in the Thuringian city of Rudolstadt. EPC will provide turnkey
production plant based on Evonik technologies. The foundation
elements34 Issue 1|2011
Because of its outstanding material properties—primarily
its excellent creep and shear
properties, even under prolonged dynamic
stress—ROHACELL® has proven to be an excellent
structural foam in fiber composite
The rear-pressure bulkhead prototype for the C919.
ROHACELL® is used for the stringers to enhance the
stiffness and buckling properties
The C919
components for the aviation industry. The
reduced weight saves fuel and also reduces
CO 2 emissions.
Because of the cooperation with the
design engineers, the advantages of the
structural foam were turned into an innovative
and economic solution. “We have a
local presence, and are part of our customer‘s
network—this is a key to the success,“ says
Hu Pei, Sales Director Film and Foams for the
High Performance Polymers Business Unit in
the Asia-Pacific Region. “ROHACELL® has
already been successfully used in the
winglet and flap vane of the ARJ21-700, the
Chinese-built regional passenger jet.”
The C919 prototype was unveiled officially
on November 16, 2010, at the Airshow
China 2010 in Zhuhai. The Commercial
Aircraft Corp of China (Comac) has announced
a launch order of up to 100, and
expects a demand for 2,000 C919 narrowbody
in the domestic and overseas markets.
Upon certification from regulators, the C919
is scheduled to enter commercial service in
2016.
stone of the plant was laid in late Sep tember 2010 in the presence of
Mr. Valery Shanzev, the governor of the Nizhny Nov gorod region.
In the first phase of its expansion, the plant will be able to produce
up to 40,000 metric tons of sodium cyanide annually.
Sodium cyanide is required for extracting gold from gold ore.
CyPlus developed its CyPlus Cyanide Advanced Technology (CyPlus
CAT) for the production of sodium cyanide especially for this application
in precious metal mining. CyPlus CAT meets the stringent
criteria of Responsible Care and the International Cyanide
Management Code, and is also considered to be an extremely safe
and reliable process. Added benefits include low investment and
operating costs.