COATINGS & CORROSION CONTROL
HIGH-DURABILITY COATING SYSTEMS FOR THE PROTECTION OF OFFSHORE WIND FARMS
The offshore industry has learned the hard way that the harsh offshore environment can quickly expose inadequate protective coating systems.
Future offshore wind installations will differ in many ways from those currently in place. They will be significantly larger in turbine size, up to ten times further offshore than current wind farms and located in deep water – the so called `Far shore´ projects.
NEW CHALLENGES
This development will bring new challenges in the offshore environment – one of the most hostile natural habitats known. Any steel structure will face potentially increased corrosion rates from highly corrosive conditions, such as high levels of salt contamination, full seawater immersion, splash zones and high UV exposure.
Unprotected steel structures in the fully immersed area, and those situated above water in the atmospheric zone, corrode at four times the rate of similar structures located inland due to the prolonged wet conditions and high chloride concentrations. Rates are higher in the splash zone: up to ten times the rate for inland structures, with structures also subject to water erosion, winter ice, impact and abrasion.
EXPENSIVE REMEDIAL WORK
Premature coating failures in the past have resulted in expensive maintenance programs to repair failing coating systems in situ. The cost of offshore maintenance is significantly higher than for similar work on land; repairs are conducted during short weather windows, surfaces require constant washing down to remove salt contamination, and access is difficult and dangerous. Therefore, coating systems applied at new construction must be proven for offshore exposure in order to give the desired high durability.
STANDARDS
A number of internationally recognized standards, ISO 129441, ISO 203402 and NORSOK M-5013, are available to assist the specifier in ensuring that a coating system will meet the necessary requirements. However, these standards are for guidance only and are no substitute for the proven performance of a coating system over a long period in offshore service.
PPG´s offshore protective coating systems provide user-friendly application properties at new construction and proven long- term durability in service. Therefore, the systems specified for the foundations and external sections of wind turbine towers are prequalified to the recognized standards mentioned above and, most importantly, well proven in offshore service conditions.
INNOVATIVE TWO-COAT SYSTEM
For external tower sections, PPG has an innovative two-coat system consisting of a zinc-rich epoxy followed by an extremely durable finish. This system is easy to apply in-shop giving fast steel throughput whilst offering excellent anticorrosive properties and outstanding resistance to the high UV levels found offshore. Also, inorganic hybrid products such as polysiloxanes offer a major improvement in the durability and aesthetics for offshore coating systems.
AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENTS
The aggressive splash zone area of foundations is where specialised, proven coating systems need to meet the harsh conditions. Accordingly, a solvent-free epoxy phenolic system is specified to give unrivaled anticorrosive performance with superior impact and abrasion resistance. This unique coating is applied as a two- coat system and is fully certified by Lloyd’s Register as an abrasion-resistant ice coating and also by Aker Arctic for low ice friction. Therefore, it is the ideal choice for the splash zone area to withstand water erosion, protect boat landings, and resist impact and abrasion damage from floating debris and ice.
PROVEN PERFORMANCE
The correct choice of heavy-duty coatings is of paramount importance to stakeholders involved in new offshore wind farm developments. Full consideration and preference must be given to those systems that are pre-qualified and compliant with the recognized industry standards, easy to apply, and possess a long and proven track record for offshore exposure.
Careful selection of protective coating systems at the outset of the project can pay dividends in the future by meeting long-term performance goals, improving labour efficiency and keeping in-service maintenance needs to a minimum.
PPG Industries
www.ppg.com
http://www.windenergynetwork.co.uk/enhanced-entries/ppg-protective-marine-coatings/
48
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96