[Photo/thepaper.cn]

Shanghai's Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization recently announced that Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical's 48K large-tow carbon fiber, specifically designed for wind power applications, has been utilized by Sany Heavy Energy in the production of wind turbine blades.

Carbon fibers with a count exceeding 48,000 filaments per bundle, known as 48K, are referred to as large-tow carbon fibers.

The first batch of 131-meter-long onshore wind turbine blades, the world's longest, has successfully rolled off the production line.

These onshore wind turbine blades exhibit outstanding mechanical performance highlighting the significant advantages of the large-tow carbon fiber in reducing their weight, said the commission.

The production of large-scale wind turbine blades must meet requirements such as lightweight, high strength, and high rigidity. Traditional glass fiber materials for blades reach their performance limits when the length exceeds 120 meters.

Carbon fiber is a new type of material with a carbon content of over 90 percent. It weighs less than one-fourth of steel and is seven to nine times stronger. Due to its exceptional corrosion resistance and outstanding mechanical properties, it is hailed the "king of new materials".

The 131-meter-long blades made using 48K large-tow carbon fiber specifically designed for wind power applications are equivalent to the height of a 45-story building, with a width capable of accommodating 340 adults standing shoulder to shoulder, according to the commission.

Source: thepaper.cn