Safe, cost effective and efficient transfer between floating support vessels and offshore wind turbines is a ‘holy grail’ for the offshore wind industry.
OSBIT Power (OP) has risen to the challenge, and developed the MaXccess system. MX11/01 was on display at Port of Tyne, South Shields on Thursday 9 June between 09:00 and 12:00.
Overcoming transfer system challenges
OP has developed the MaXccess system to overcome the disadvantages of the current transfer system. It does this by clamping onto one of the vertical buffer tubes. The system is carefully engineered to restrain vertical bow movement, while allowing pitch, roll and yaw. Bow-turbine forces are measured and recorded and a traffic light system is used to indicate safe transfer conditions.
The MX system is designed to be cost-effective and compact, and is easy to mount onto existing wind turbine support vessels. No alteration is required to the standard wind turbine access platform.
MaXccess provides a secure and measured attachment between the vessel and the turbine. It can also sustain much higher vertical loads without the bow moving, when compared to ‘bump and jump’ technology currently used. It allows for safe operation in higher sea states. In emergency situations, the vessel skipper can reverse thrust and immediately detach from the turbine, if required.
“OP invites you to see a development that we believe will play an important role in increasing offshore wind industry safety and efficiency,” says Dr Tony Trapp, CEO of OSBIT Power.
“We announced our plans in summer 2010, setting out a schedule for design and production. We are proud to have achieved all our objectives – OSBIT (On Spec, Budget In Time) – we now eagerly await feedback from users of the system.”
Full scale trials were completed in a large wave tank last December. Video clips can be viewed at www.osbitpower.com . These trials confirmed the validity of the OP approach and provided more insight into the nature of the challenge.
Those unable to see the system at Port of Tyne have another opportunity in June at Seawork 2011, 14-16 June in Southampton www.seawork.com. OSBIT Power will also be exhibiting at RUK’s Offshore Wind 2011 in Liverpool 29-30 June www.renewable-uk.com/events.
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Source: osbitpower, June 10, 2011