INNOVATION & NEW TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
INNOVATION IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Although offshore renewables is an industry in its infancy, significant innovation has been seen over the last four years in both design and construction.
COST REDUCTION One area which has seen significant innovation and cost reduction is in the cable pull-in process and foundation interface design.
Historically, a j-tube would house the cable and route it from the hang-off point down to the seabed. From the aperture of the j-tube, the cable would be protected with retrofitted cast-iron split pipe and rock dumping would prevent scour developing which resulted in vulnerable, free suspended cable.
Although this method was relatively effective, it required up to three installation activities creating a lot of room for improvement and cost reduction.
DESIGN CHALLENGE In 2008, Tekmar were presented with a design challenge to remove j-tubes from offshore monopile foundations and create an optimised solution for cable pull-in and protection over a 25-year design life. The key challenge was that without a j-tube, the cable was at risk of being permanently damaged during the pull-in process alone.
TEKLINK® CABLE PROTECTION SYSTEM Tekmar consulted with experienced cable manufactures and offshore installers and then developed the Teklink® Cable Protection System which has now been successfully installed in over 8 operational Offshore Wind Farms (OWF), with a further
9 OWFs currently in the installation, design or engineering stages.
SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS This solution saw significant cost savings by removing the j-tubes and converted up to three installation activities into one single activity as the Teklink® Cable Protection System is installed during the main cable pull-in operation.
The cost savings in removing j-tubes alone on a wind farm with 100 turbines is estimated to be over £5m, a significant figure which, when added to the reduced installation activities, could be expected to more than triple.
Tekmar Energy
www.tekmar.co.uk
HUTTON’S HELPS IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OF WINDFARMS
Harbour Chandlery Marine Services, the new renewables division of Hutton’s, is pleased to announce it has been appointed as sole UK and Ireland Distributor for the Bladezil Wind Turbine Cleaning System to both the offshore and onshore wind power market sectors.
HCMS will be responsible for the marketing, sales and distribution of this new advancement in cleaning technology.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT The specially
formulated cleaner was developed by Ensearch to clean wind turbine blades. However, the Bladezil Wind Turbine Cleaning System can also be used with equal ease on turbine towers.
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
Bladezil is friendly to the environment since it is biodegradable and complies with EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical (REACH) regulations.
When diluted, Bladezil is sprayed on to the blade, using a back-pack if necessary, gradually working down the fin. The product, loosens dirt and contaminants without damaging the blades and is then spray-washed off with clean or sea water. Bladezil penetrates and loosens contaminants from blade surfaces including deposits which may have eaten into the surface and become time, weather or sun hardened such as airborne pollution, mould and mildew, adhered dust, salt, oils and petroleum deposits and bird droppings.
Hutton’s sales manager Jon Hickey said: “Cleaning wind turbine blades using Bladezil can save two per cent in efficiency which can amount to millions of pounds worth of power generation over a year!”
DESIGNED FOR THE TASK IN HAND The highly concentrated, low-viscosity liquid is designed to meet the challenging task of cleaning in a vertical position, usually in a roped support and often in high winds. Bladezil can also be applied via the new automated cleaning systems currently on the market and in development.
Harbour Chandlery Marine Services will also be distributing a wide range of bio- degradable products from the same innovation team at Ensearch.
Hutton & Co. (Ships Chandlers) Ltd
www.huttons-chandlers.com
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