Press release

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Le CSL-ULg collabore activement à ce projet pour les mesures des évolutions des structures composites du catamaran.

The new technological project to construct an electro-solar catamaran is a project which is firmly turned towards the future and based on sustainable development. It is being jointly advanced by the University of Mons and the spin-off Multitel, by the Sirris research centre, the Liege Space Centre and the LMS Samtech business company. The fruit of this cross-border joint programme between researchers and business companies has given birth to a highly sophisticated new product and will give rise to a more effective second new boat.

AEROFLEET has designed an unsinkable catamaran (15.5m in length, 8m wide, with an 18m mast) with two specific characteristics. On the one hand a new layout permitting the installation of solar panels over a surface area of +/- 40 square metres. In addition the SME has constructed a catamaran made from prepreg materials (fibreglass, carbon fibre and Kevlar) and vacuum formed epoxy resin, materials which combine great lightness and solidity, in contrast to the other catamarans, generally built from polyester resin, a heavier product; it is thus adapted to support the batteries which will store the energy produced whilst maintaining the boat’s level of performance.

The aim is to use renewable energies solely, and thus no fossils fuels whatsoever. The catamaran will thus be propelled uniquely thanks to an electric engine for journeys which are not covered by the sails (gaining access to a port, the absence of wind, etc.).

The first of the catamaran’s models, already sold to a Swiss yachtsman, will be operational in a year. Its price rises to 400,000 Euros, compared with 250,000 Euros for the model with heat engines.

This type of boat is currently aimed for the leisure sailing market.

Nevertheless, to enable other technological advances, a second catamaran is currently being constructed. The aim is to make a laboratory boat available to all of the project’s partners with a view to optimising the different technologies deployed in the electro-solar boat.

A University of Liege Department active in the development of space instruments, the Liege Space Centre (CSL) is also putting into practice technology transfer operations which will enable the knowhow acquired in space research to be valorised by Walloon and European manufacturers. It is in this framework that it is contributing, thanks to non-destructive monitoring techniques, in tests measuring developments in the catamaran’s composite structures.

The involvement of LMS Samtech in the creation of the electro-solar catamaran operates within the virtual design of the boat’s structure, in integrating at this phase of modelling the analysis of the composite materials. The use of this analysis method allows the results of the experimental data gathered by the AEROFLEET company to be compared with the simulation results.

The University of Mons and the Multitel spinoff are involved in the project through fibre optics whilst the research centre has produced the scale model.

Thanks to this laboratory boat, the studies and the research will continue in order to perfect the technologies put into practice for the first edition of the electro-solar catamaran.

Finally, alongside these projects the AEROFLEET company is currently constructing a no-wave monohull already developed and patented by Belgian and Brazilian researchers.

A propos d’Aerofleet

AEROFLEET est spécialisée dans les composites high tech. Elle réalise aujourd’hui toutes sortes de pièces de grandes qualités techniques et pré-imprégnées sous vide et sous autoclave. Les matériaux composites offrent en effet, des qualités techniques et environnementales en utilisant les pré-imprégnés.

L’entreprise a réalisé, entre autre, les coupoles pour le VLT, a aussi développé pour l’ESO sur le site du Cerra Paranal, les tuyères et les « fairings » pour l’Airbus A380, les protections d’armes pour la FN, des catamarans de 45 pieds et de 50 pieds , l’Aero 660, des bateaux pour les mesures hydrographiques, etc…

Dans le secteur naval, après avoir construit le premier catamaran F28 Belge, Raphaël Van Vlodorp n'a cessé de développer de nouveaux produits tout en utilisant les meilleurs matériaux pour assurer une qualité optimale.

C'est ainsi que AEROFLEET est devenu un chantier Naval reconnu et peut ainsi vous proposer une large gamme qui va du bateau à moteur au Catamaran de 14m.

AEROFLEET peut fournir les bateaux à tous les stades de finition des pièces moulées aux bateaux prêts à naviguer pour constructeurs professionnels et/ou amateurs.