MARINE RENEWABLES EXTRA
SUCCESSFUL TURBINE BLADE WALK FOR BLADEBUG A wind turbine blade inspection and repair robot being developed in Britain has successfully carried out its first blade walk on an operating turbine writes Dag Pike Conceived as a method of checking out the blades of wind turbines remotely without requiring as many humans to work at height, the BladeBUG development represents a major step forward in the technology for this challenging operation that is proving increasingly important in the offshore wind turbine industry. Currently the inspection of turbine blades is carried out by rigging ropes on the turbine to allow manual access. The BladeBUG attaches itself to the composite turbine blade by means of vacuum suction pads attached to the legs of the robot. The six legs of the robot can be operated sequentially to allow the robot to ‘walk along the blade and the body of the robot can carry a variety of ‘cargoes’ that can be used for inspection and repair work. ORE Catapult’s 7mW Levenmouth Demonstration turbine which is located off the coast of Fife in Scotland was used for the demonstration. Over two days in mid-October, the sixlegged robot repeatedly scaled blades on the turbine and during the demonstration, BladeBUG walked 50m on a vertically positioned blade on the turbine which is 84m long, with the tip reaching 195m above the sea when upright.
Over two days in mid-October, the six-legged robot repeatedly scaled blades on the turbine and during the demonstration, BladeBUG walked 50m on a vertically positioned blade on the turbine which is 84m long According to ORE Catapult, the technology demonstrated perfect adherence of its vacuum-padded feet to blade surfaces in offshore conditions, as well as the ability to navigate the varying curvatures of the blade surfaces in a variety of scenarios. BladeBUG is anticipated to enable a 30% cost reduction on current blade inspection techniques, whilst for the larger next-generation turbines, ORE Catapult predicts that the cost savings could reach as much as 50%.
“This is an incredibly significant technology that we know is being keenly watched by the industry as a potential gamechanger. It has a clear potential for cutting costs, reducing human offshore deployment and increasing blade lifetimes,” said Chris Hill, ORE Catapult’s Operational Performance Director. The robot is a key component of the £4.2 million MIMRee project which is designed to demonstrate a fully autonomous inspection and repair mission to an offshore wind farm with the robot operating from autonomous support vessels. The final MIMRee system technology trials are set to take place in mid-2021.
8 BladeBUG uses suction and robotics to walk its way along the turbine blade
Vattenfall provides Council Co-Chair A new Offshore Wind Industry Council Co-Chair has been appointed to lead the next phase of job creation in UK’s green economic recovery. Thousands of new jobs are being created in offshore wind which is one of the UK’s most successful growth industries. The sector is attracting billions in private investment over the course of this decade, as we quadruple
our current capacity to meet the Prime Minister’s target of 40 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030. Vattenfall’s UK Country Manager Danielle Lane is taking over from Ørsted’s Benj Sykes, who has successfully led the offshore wind sector as Co-Chair of the joint Government and industry body for the past six and a half years. UK Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said:
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“With record amounts of offshore wind on the grid, and plans underway to support 60,000 jobs in the industry by 2030, it has never been more crucial for government and industry to work hand in hand. “That’s why I am delighted to welcome Danielle to her new role as Co-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council, and I look forward to working with her.”
DECEMBER 2020 | 33
