Trans RINA, Vol 157, Part C1, Intl J Marine Design, Jan - Dec 2015 DESIGN-DRIVEN INNOVATION: NEXT GENERATION WIND FARM MOTHERSHIP
FOR THE NORTH SEA (DOI No. 103940/rina.ijmd.2015.c1.41)
D Boote, F Galleggioni and T Colaianni, DITEN, Genoa University, Genoa, Italy S. McCartan and T. Thompson EBDIG-IRC, Department of Industrial Design, Coventry University, UK F Iliopulos, Knud E. Hansen A/S, Denmark I McFarlane and D Rose, Romica Engineering Ltd, UK B Verheijden, Academy Minerva, Groningen, The Netherlands C Anderberg and H Phalm, Division of Maritime Human Factors and Navigation, Chalmers University, Sweden
SUMMARY
In response to the specific requirements for UK Round 3 far shore wind farm maintenance operations, a new mothership concept design proposal is presented, that challenges perceptions of the working and living environment on commercial vessels through the implementation of Design-Driven Innovation. The interaction between innovation of design meaning and technology innovation can transform the market within an industry and even create new market sectors. An analysis of the offshore wind market identified the challenges of vessel financing compared to the oil & gas sector, as a unique opportunity for a common platform technology vessel. The concept presented has an innovative WFSV launch/recovery system enabling a conventional OSV platform to be adapted into a mothership role, resulting in a more cost effective O&M solution.
1. INTRODUCTION
The aim of O&M activities is to optimise the availability and capacity factor of a wind farm whilst minimising costs. In a practical approach to the use of SCADA data for optimised wind turbine condition based maintenance, Gray et al [1] identified the capacity for identification of a wide range of failure modes combined with techniques to identify failure probability, risk ranking and remaining life. This offers great potential for significant cost reductions through improved field reliability. In the analysis of offshore wind turbine O&M using a novel time domain meteocean modelling approach Dinwoodie, Quail and McMillan [2] identified the benefit and limitation in influencing availability by increased access vessel thresholds. The most significant gains at all sites are obtained by increasing vehicle operability from 1.5 m to 2.5m significant wave height, after which gains diminish and a limit is reached that is dependent on failure characteristic of the turbine. For reported failure rates, the limit is approximately 92% significantly below the 97% availability achieved
onshore. Although
availability is an important metric to indicate how well a wind farm is performing the principle driver for operators is to minimize cost of energy. Investing in a more advanced maintenance vessel, condition monitoring system or refurbishment programme may outweigh the benefit of improved availability.
The cost of energy from offshore wind is between 15% to 30% higher due to O&M costs. These are largely driven by delays in access and repair caused by adverse weather and sea-state, high vessel costs, higher wage costs, and lost revenue from extended down-time. These costs seem to be dominated by vessel
costs, while
revenue loss is also significant, these are both areas where significant cost savings can be made with condition monitoring [3]. Thus the use of planned
© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
maintenance based on condition monitoring and weather window prediction could greatly reduce O&M costs by optimising the capability of vessel used. Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV) are typically 20m+ catamarans operating at 25 to 30 knots with a cargo capacity of 2 to 3 t. They facilitate minor repairs and technical problems which can be solved without heavy lift equipment. They are also required during the installation phase of a wind farm. Operable at significant wave height of 1.8 m maximum with safe access to offshore structures at significant wave height > 1.2 m . These are being superseded by SWATH CTVs capable of
withstanding even rougher sea
conditions than catamaran designs. They have limited cargo capacity and are operable at significant wave height of 2.5 m maximum, with safe access to offshore structures at significant wave height > 1.5 m.
There are two significant factors to be taken into account regarding the utilisation of O&M vessels. The weather conditions, more precisely wave height, wind speed and water currents, influence the operability of a vessel, personnel safety and accessibility of offshore structures. The distance of the working area to the O&M port determines in conjunction with the vessel’s transit speed the required
time on site [4]. It is estimated that during their lifetime these wind maintenance personnel CTVs.
interventions, with more than transfers
journey time and therefore the working parks will require more than
between offshore structures and
It also reviewed a range of proposals for turbine planned maintenance per year. Reporting that BMT Nigel Gee assumed 15 person-days of planned maintenance per year for a standard 5 MW wind turbine and that the Transport consultancy UNICONSULT proposed the
following
values: a team of 5 technicians deployed for servicing one wind turbine at a time, with two of them likely to
C-83
1,000 6,000
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