— Michael Littig, Director-Sales, Simrit Energy Europe
The Freudenberg Group, a €5.4 billion family-owned company offering its customers
technically challenging product solutions and services, recently entered the fast
growing Indian wind energy market with high-tech solutions from across the various
operating companies in the group. The group launched "Ventoguard", a
high-performance material that enhances the use of seals and lubricants used in wind
turbines, and also a new series of release agents.
Electrical Monitor caught up
Michael Littig with to understand more on these revolutionary products. Excerpts:
Tell us more about Ventoguard and how it enhances the performance of
seals and lubricants used in wind turbines.
The adverse environmental conditions hinder the capacity of the seal and
lubricant in the long run. In order to overcome this impediment, materials
scientists at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies have developed
"Ventoguard", a high performance material that features greater
temperature and ozone resistance and thus ensuring a longer service life.
Ventoguard materials lower the minimum temperature from minus 30 to
40 degrees, significantly extending the range of applications, especially
with respect to extreme temperature conditions. Another advantage is
that the relaxation behavior of the material has been significantly
improved which is important for effective sealing in the long term and in
turn offers cost benefits.
Since when has Ventoguard been in the global market and how has been
the response to the product?
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies successfully launched this innovative
product in September 2010 at the leading international trade fair for the
wind industry, HUSUM WindEnergy. The response we got from the market
and our customers makes us look positively to the future. Various pitch
bearing manufacturers have already decided to focus on
Ventoguard since the launch in 2010.
Tell us also about the new release agents that Freudenberg Group
has introduced.
Besides tailor made seals and lubricants from Simrit Energy Europe and
Klüber Lubrication, Chem-Trend which is also part of the Freudenberg
Group has developed a new series of release agents that offer
outstanding performance when removing rotor blades from the mold.
Wind turbine rotor blades play a significant role in energy efficiency. The
design and shape of the blades have been optimized to meet steadily
growing requirements for improved aerodynamics and the highest
possible energy yields.
Rotor blades are molded from a wide range of composite materials. With
special release agents from Chem-Trend, it is easier to release the
blades from the mold without damaging them, which was a cause
of concern with regard to energy efficiency.
Furthermore products from Freudenberg Nonwovens are used for
composites (FRP) which are suited for surface protection and as core
material in products such as pipes, tanks, container boards, facade panels,
skis, surfboards, boats and even rotor blades for wind power stations.
Surfacing non-wovens improve the resistance to both corrosion and
abrasion defects.
In India, will Ventoguard contend with similar products already available?
With Ventoguard, we completed our portfolio in India. In addition to our
proven standard product which, in India, has been available for many years,
we convince the market with an innovative new product for special
applications, especially with respect to extreme temperature conditions.
Please summarize your outlook for Ventoguard and the newly-launched
related products in the rapidly-growing Indian wind energy market.
With Freudenberg's standard product, the company has been successfully
represented in the Indian market for many years. With Ventoguard, we add
an innovative product to our portfolio, which supports us in meeting the
permanently increasing requirements of the rapidly growing Indian wind
energy market. Therefore, the outlook for the product is positive and will be
important for our strategy in this important future market.