LIMPET TAKES AIM AT offshore access WITH NEW R&D PROJECT
Edinburgh based Limpet Technology is one of eleven organisations to feature in ‘Journey of the Drop', a series of programmes developed by ITN Productions, in collaboration with the World Petroleum Council (WPC), that highlight new innovations with the potential to positively impact the energy sector in the years ahead.
The film focuses on a new R&D project that Limpet Technology is undertaking, which promises to improve access to far offshore wind turbines by up to 30% and hugely improve their availability and productivity.
The film focuses on a new R&D project that Limpet Technology is undertaking, which promises to improve access to far offshore wind turbines by up to 30% and hugely improve their availability and productivity.
Limpet Technology CEO, Stephen Cornwallis, commented, “We’ve been supplying our safety and access systems to the world’s leading wind energy companies since 2012 for applications such as ladder climb assist, rotor blade repair and rescue. Now, we’re applying our expertise in motion control, personnel lifting and fall arrest to help solve a vitally important industrial access challenge; how to safely transfer technicians between vessels and fixed offshore wind turbines in high sea states.”
Dr Alastair Kilgour, Head of Engineering at Limpet Technology added, “The standard method of transfer is for technicians to step between the boat and the turbine landing ladder. The vessel will typically thrust against the bumper bars on either side of the ladder, but if the fender slips then the boat can drop away and rise back up incredibly quickly, with real risk to the technician.” He went on, “The higher the sea state, the greater the danger and so the industry rule is normally not to allow transfers when waves are above 1.5 metres significant height. Our proposal is to provide a safety line system that combines high speed heave compensation, capable of tracking deck motion in waves up to and beyond 2.5 metres significant height, with automated hoisting capability to allow technicians to be lifted quickly out of the risk zone if necessary.”
Chris Palmer, Managing Director of Renewable Technical Services International added, “The next generation of offshore wind farms will be further from shore and in areas where significant wave height will be above 1.5 metres for at least half of the time. Allowing access to turbines in sea states above 2.5 metres, without having to rely on large vessels with walk-to-work gangways, or on helicopters, will be of massive[i] financial significance to offshore wind farm operators.”
The ‘Journey of the Drop’ debuted at the WPC’s ‘Future Leaders Forum’, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Wednesday the 26th of October and can now be viewed at the Limpet Technology website or on the WPC’s “Journey of the Drop” YouTube channel.
[i] DNV GL (formerly Garrad Hassan) estimates that, (for a 50 wind turbine offshore farm). “Increasing the transfer limit from 1.5 to 2.0 metres (wave height) can brings benefits of around £3.9 M/annum”
Dr Alastair Kilgour, Head of Engineering at Limpet Technology added, “The standard method of transfer is for technicians to step between the boat and the turbine landing ladder. The vessel will typically thrust against the bumper bars on either side of the ladder, but if the fender slips then the boat can drop away and rise back up incredibly quickly, with real risk to the technician.” He went on, “The higher the sea state, the greater the danger and so the industry rule is normally not to allow transfers when waves are above 1.5 metres significant height. Our proposal is to provide a safety line system that combines high speed heave compensation, capable of tracking deck motion in waves up to and beyond 2.5 metres significant height, with automated hoisting capability to allow technicians to be lifted quickly out of the risk zone if necessary.”
Chris Palmer, Managing Director of Renewable Technical Services International added, “The next generation of offshore wind farms will be further from shore and in areas where significant wave height will be above 1.5 metres for at least half of the time. Allowing access to turbines in sea states above 2.5 metres, without having to rely on large vessels with walk-to-work gangways, or on helicopters, will be of massive[i] financial significance to offshore wind farm operators.”
The ‘Journey of the Drop’ debuted at the WPC’s ‘Future Leaders Forum’, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Wednesday the 26th of October and can now be viewed at the Limpet Technology website or on the WPC’s “Journey of the Drop” YouTube channel.
[i] DNV GL (formerly Garrad Hassan) estimates that, (for a 50 wind turbine offshore farm). “Increasing the transfer limit from 1.5 to 2.0 metres (wave height) can brings benefits of around £3.9 M/annum”