Bio-fouling self-cleaning condition monitoring system for offshore wind turbine foundations (BIOclean-CMS)

Offshore wind farms are an attractive renewable energy source because they overcome the objections of visual and noise intrusion that apply to onshore wind and the time averaged capacity per turbine rating is higher. However the life cycle costs are much higher and require reduction by some 50% to achieve the levelised costs of onshore wind. A major contribution to these costs (~6%) arise from the corrosion and biofouling of the foundations. The objectives of the project are to establish the technical feasibility of a cost effective generic and integrated ultrasonic/acoustic system applicable to all foundation designs for (i) continuous monitoring of the detection of early stage corrosion and fouling build up and (ii) simultaneous prevention of fouling in the first instance. It is targted that over a foundation life cycle the system will reduce by 50% the existing costs of periodic inspections, corrosion repairs and fouling removal as well as reducing the hazards of these practices.