Selection of Instrumentation for Monitoring the Sea State at an Offshore Wind Farm Site (1974 Words from Executive

Summary to Conclusion)

April 2011

LIST OF CO T! T List of content Executive Summary 1 2 3 4 !ntroduction "escri#tion of Site Condition W$y %onitor Sea State at &o'in &i((s) !nstrumentation for %onitorin( Sea State 41 +ccelerometer 'uoy 1 2 3 4 4 * * 7

42 43 * .

Wave radar +coustic "o##ler system (+"C-)

, , 9 1/ 11

&ecommendation for &o'in &i((s Conclusion

&eferences

!"!C#TI$! S#MMA%& 0$is #a#er examines various instruments used to monitor sea states1 2it$ t$e intention of selectin( t$e most a##ro#riate for &o'in &i((s offs$ore 2ind farm located in Sol2ay 3irt$ 0$e site condition of t$e location of t$e 2ind farm 2as examined for information t$at 2ould (uide on c$oice of instrument 0$e merits and limitations of several instruments considered are noted1 and com#ared 2it$ t$e site conditions and alternative instruments 3actors t$at (uided decision include suita'ility for site

condition1 accuracy and relia'ility of data from instrument1 cost1 maintenance fre4uency1 and ada#ta'ility for real5time monitorin( Waverider 'uoy 2as recommended for t$e offs$ore 2ind farm +#art from 'ein( suita'le for t$e site1 data from 2averider 'uoys 'uoys are relia'le1 t$e instrument can 'e ada#ted for real5time monitorin(1 and maintenance fre4uency 2ould 'e lo2 if moorin( is #ro#erly done and vessel movement in t$e area #ro$i'ited o#erational life 2ould 6ustify t$e cost W$ile t$e instrument may 'e relatively ex#ensive1 t$e 'enefit durin( t$e 2ind farm

1' Introduction + ty#ical offs$ore 2ind structure consists of tur'ines a'ove t$e 2ater surface1 and a su##ort structure com#risin( of t$e foundation 'elo2 2ater and a #artially su'mer(ed to2er Environmental factors li7e 2aves1 2ind1 current etc ty#ically im#act on construction1 o#erations and maintenance of offs$ore facilities 0$e &o'in &i((s offs$ore 2ind farm situated in t$e Sol2ay firt$ is one of suc$ 2ind farms in t$e 89 Construction of t$e facility 2as com#leted in +#ril 2/1/ -eriodic maintenance of t$e 2ind farm 2ould $o2ever continue

0$is 2rite5u# loo7s at t$e c$allen(e of accessin( t$e tur'ines usin( marine vessels Sea State varies continuously 2it$ time as 2ind condition c$an(es !n su'se4uent sections1 2e 2ould discuss t$e site condition at Sol2ay 3irt$ (t$e site of &o'in &i((s :ffs$ore 2ind farm)1 $o2 sea state 2ould affect accessi'ility of t$e tur'ines1 instruments t$at can 'e used to monitor t$e continuously c$an(in( sea state #articular instrument 2ould 'e recommended 2it$ reasons 2' (escription of the Site Condition &o'in &i((s is an estuary located in t$e Sol2ay 3irt$1 a sand'an7 mid2ay 'et2een ;allo2ay and Cam'rian Coast %udflats and sandflats dominate t$e 3irt$ 0$e distance of t$e &o'in &i((s 2ind farm from s$ore is a'out 117m from ;allo2ay Coastline and 13 *7m from t$e Cum'rian coastline1 and t$e 2ind farm occu#ies an area of 1,7m2 %ost of t$e Sol2ay 3irt$ is less t$an 1/m (3/ ft) dee# (;raduate Sc$ool of :ceano(ra#$y1 2/11) 0$e maximum 2ater de#t$ in t$e location around &o'in &i(( Wind farm is 12m1 2$ile t$e minimum 2ater de#t$ could a##roac$ <ero +n extremely dynamic environment lies 'elo2 t$e surface 0$e Sol2ay=s funnel5li7e s$a#e and s$allo2 de#t$ affect t$e tidal e'' and flo21 creatin( stron( currents :ccasionally1 a tidal 'ore can develo# at t$e $ead of t$e 3irt$1 2$ic$ scul#t t$e soft sediments into sand 'an7s1 sand 'ars1 and dee# c$annels (;raduate Sc$ool of :ceano(ra#$y1 2/11) 0$is could $ave im#act on instruments moored to t$e sea5 'ed Commercial s$i##in( does not #ass t$rou($ t$e &o'in &i(( area of t$e Sol2ay W$ile small #leasure craft and fis$in( vessels may #ass closer to t$e 2ind farm1 t$ere is nevert$eless an exclusion <one of */m around all of t$e 2ind farm structures 0$is assures of minimal o'struction of moored instruments 'y #assin( vessels )' Wh* Monitor Sea State at %o+in %iggs, !n a 'id to carry out maintenance 2or7s on t$e tur'ines1 2or7'oats are used to navi(ate t$e area 0$e 2ater de#t$ is very im#ortant as t$e vessel can run a(round (leadin( to dama(e>2rec7a(e) 2$ere t$e draft exceeds t$e 2ater de#t$ +lso1 t$e 4 +

elevation of t$e 2ater mi($t 'e im#ortant for tec$nicians to 'e a'le to reac$ t$e tur'ine $ei($t Sea state information is re4uired to aid effective #lannin( and to avoid ne(ative situation t$at could 'e unsafe W$at really is sea state1 and 2$at do 2e really need to measure) Sea State is t$e a##earance of a 'ody of 2ater at a certain location and instant !t is t$e state of 2aves formed mostly due to t$e action of 2ind and s2ell !m#ortant #arameters t$at descri'e t$e 2ave include 2ave $ei($t1 2ave #eriod1 2avelen(t$ and direction of t$e 2aves ?o2ever1 t$e most im#ortant #arameter to mariners is t$e si(nificant 2ave $ei($t 2$ic$ is o'tained from measured 2ave data -' Instrumentation for monitoring sea state %onitorin( sea state is essentially re(ular o'servation and recordin( of 2ave #arameters over a #eriod of time "ata o'tained 2ould 'e useful for ma7in( decision on t$e feasi'ility of underta7in( tas7s at eac$ instant in a marine environment 3or &o'in &i((s1 it 2ould aid decision ma7in( 2$en #lannin( tur'ine maintenance activities 0y#ical 2ays of o'tainin( data include@ 1 2 Aisual :'servation "irect %easurement 2it$ instruments t$at are in contact 2it$ 2ater Exam#les include 2ave staff1 #ressure (au(e1 s$i#'orne 2ave recorders1 accelerometer 'uoys1 +coustic "o##ler devices etc 3 4 &emote sensed measurin( usin( 2ave radar5 it could 'e #latform5mounted1 satellite5mounted or aircraft5'orne 8se of modelled data

"ata o'tained from visual o'servation is su'6ective and yields data t$at is irre(ularly s#aced in 'ot$ s#ace and time !t also cannot #rovide real5time data and t$e accuracy of measured data is lo2 (+merican Society of Civil En(ineers 199.) %odeled data also $as its s$ortcomin( Wyatt (2//9) notes t$at most modeled data 5

err in underestimation of model 2ave $ei($t in s2ell dominated seas1 and overestimation of model 2ave (ro2t$ in fetc$ limited conditions 0$ese are ma6or inade4uacies t$at ma7e t$em ina##ro#riate for use in &o'in &i((s 2ind farm 0a'le 1 discusses ot$er instruments 2e did not consider for &o'in &i((s 2it$ reasons 0a'le 1 B Sea State %onitorin( 0ec$ni4ues not Considered for &o'in &i((s 0ec$ni4ue>!nstrument Aisual :'servation &eason for not recommendin( - +ccuracy is lo2 Wave Staff Cot ada#ta'le to real5time monitorin( %easurement not o'6ective Su'6ect to marine foulin( + lar(e 4uantity of mud and sand move 2it$ eac$ tidal cycleD t$is 2ould ma7e marine foulin( a ma6or issue Stron( current in t$e firt$ could dama(e or distort 2ave staff orientation -ressure ;au(e %uc$ effort and time 2ould 'e s#ent on maintenance Su'6ect to marine foulin( ?u(e 4uantity of mud and sand 2ould fre4uently foul instrument S$i#5Eourne &ecorder Wave "iver re4uired to install and maintain t$e e4ui#ment %uc$ effort and time 2ould 'e s#ent on maintenance S$i#s donFt navi(ate t$e &o'in &i((s site as t$ere is a */m exclusion <one around it Cannot #rovide real5time monitorin( for t$e entire Some im#ortant 2ave

o#erational #ro6ect life 0$us1 to relia'le data1 2e need to use instruments are discussed 'elo2 -'1 Accelerometer .uo*

measurin( instruments 2e considered for t$e &o'in &i(( offs$ore 2ind farm include

?ere1 sea state o'servations are o'tained 2it$ a floatin( 'uoy 2$ic$ is usually s#$erical in s$a#e Euoys are usually moored in 2ater de#t$s of less t$an 2//m 0$e 'uoy trac7s t$e 2ave motion (i e it moves u# and do2n 2it$ t$e 2ave)1 and is t$ere'y accelerated vertically 0$is acceleration is inte(rated t2ice to (ive t$e vertical dis#lacement 0$e data is eit$er stored in t$e 'uoy1 or it is transmitted to a 6

s$ore station eit$er directly or via satellite lin7 (Eendfeld et al 2//9) 3i(ure 1 illustrates t$e o#eration of a 2ave 'uoy

3i( 1 5 Functional principles of the measuring +uo* /Eendfeld et al 2//9) Euoys are relatively sim#le to install and ada#ta'le for real5time monitorin( Eendfeld1 9rie(er1 and S#lett (2/1/) note t$at a 'uoy is a very accurate device1 t$ou($ ex#ensive in com#arison to some ot$er instruments !n vie2 of t$e 'enefit o'tained1 it is a cost effective means of collectin( data (-andian et al 2/1/) Euoys $ave t$e disadvanta(es of measurin( t$e 2aves indirectly1 'ein( #rone to dama(e and>or loss due to collision1 moorin( failure1 $eavy storm sur(es etc -'2 Wa0e %adar

&adar sensin( tec$ni4ues are all remote sensin( tec$ni4ues and so are not in direct contact 2it$ t$e 2aterFs surface 0$ey can eit$er 'e #latform mounted1 air'orne or satellite mounted Wave &adar $as advanta(es in terms of #otential 2ide area covera(e1 and t$e data can 'e #rocessed in near real5time

?3 &adar 2as considered for t$e 2ind farm !t is a s$ore 'ased remote sensin( system t$at $as t$e a'ility to remotely sense environmental #arameters over t$e sea 'eyond t$e $ori<on limit associated 2it$ conventional radar systems +ucott (2//2) notes t$at ?3 &adar installations are ex#ensive to set u# com#ared to 2ave rider 'uoys +fter t$is initial cost $o2ever1 t$e radar re4uires little maintenance -') Acoustic (oppler S*stems /A(C12

+coustic "o##ler systems $ave t$e advanta(e of measurin( current velocity #rofile as 2ell as 2aves1 t$us o'viatin( t$e need to de#loy t2o instrument systems for simultaneous 2ave and current monitorin( 0$e instrument is usually mounted in a frame on t$e 'ottom1 and is u#2ard5loo7in( !t $as t$e advanta(e of 'ein( located 'elo2 t$e surface 2$ere ris7 of loss 'y collision1 vandalism etc is reduced + disadvanta(e of +"C- is t$e a'sor#tion of t$e acoustic si(nal ener(y !t is also distur'ed 'y noise li7e raindro#s on t$e 2ater surface1 'rea7in( 2aves etc (Eendfeld et al 2//9)

3' %ecommendation for the %o+in %iggs 1ro4ect 0$e most a##ro#riate 2ave monitorin( instrument for &o'in &i((s 2ind farm need to 'e@ Suita'le for t$e site condition Ca#a'le of #rovidin( relia'le and accurate data Cost not excessive Ca#a'le of #rovidin( real5time monitorin(1 lo2 maintenance fre4uency and cost

W$ile eac$ instrument $as t$eir merits and limitations1 ! su((est a 2averider 'uoy for t$e &o'in &i((s -ro6ect &eason for its selection over ot$er o#tions is discussed t$us@ Suita+ilit* of Site Condition B 0$e maximum 2ater de#t$ of Sol2ay firt$ is 12m 0$is is 2it$in t$e 2//m limit for t$e use of 2ave 'uoys Accurac* and relia+ilit* of data B Waverider 'uoys $ave #roved to 'e a very relia'le instrument for t$e collection of 2ave data %ost ot$er instruments (includin( &adar and +"C-) are usually com#ared 2it$ to ascertain t$eir accuracy Waverider 'uoys are a #roven tec$nolo(y for monitorin( 2ave $ei($t and #eriod 0$e "ata2ell Waverider 'uoy is today re(arded as t$e international standard for ocean 2ave measurement (Wyllie and 9ulmar 199*) %eal5time Monitoring B Waverider Euoys (li7e many ot$er instruments in use) are ada#ta'le to real5time monitorin( Cost B W$ile a Waverider 'uoy is relatively more ex#ensive t$an some alternatives1 t$e 'enefit derived could 6ustify t$e cost +s t$e &o'in &i(( :ffs$ore 2ind farm $as an o#erational life of 2/ years1 t$e cost could 'e s#read over t$e #eriod (E :C 89 2//7) !t is $o2ever muc$ c$ea#er t$an t$e ?3 radar %et :ffice (2/11) note t$e cost of ?3 radar is four times more ex#ensive t$an 'uoy Maintenance Fre6uenc* and Cost B 8nli7e remote sensed instruments (li7e ?3 &adar)1 2ave 'uoys are #rone suffer dama(e due to collision Suc$ occurrences dictate t$e fre4uency of maintenance ?o2ever1 as no commercial s$i##in( #ass t$rou($ t$e area1 and 2it$ t$e */m exclusion <one around t$e 2ind farm structure1 t$e li7eli$ood of collision 2it$ 'uoys is reduced 1recautions to note

 0$e moorin( system must 'e a##ro#riate and #ro#erly anc$ored to t$e sea5'ed -andian et al (2/1/) notes t$at most #ro'lem 2it$ 2averider 'uoys can 'e eliminated t$rou($ t$e use of (ood moorin( system Enforcement of t$e */m exclusion <one around t$e 2ind farm to reduce c$ances of collision 2it$ t$e 'uoys 7' Conclusion !n vie2 of t$e effect of sea state on maintenance 2or7s in &o'in &i((s :ffs$ore 2ind farm1 t$e most a##ro#riate instrumentation re4uired to monitor sea states $as 'een considered +mon( t$e various alternatives considered for use1 t$e 2averider 'uoy 2as selected 'ased on suita'ility for t$e site condition1 cost and ada#ta'ility for real5time monitorin( !t 2ould #rovide a cost5effective means of o'tainin( accurate and relia'le data over t$e o#erational life of t$e 2ind farm !ts ma6or disadvanta(e is t$e ris7 of dama(e due to collision 2it$ vessels1 loss of moorin( inte(rity etc 0$ese can $o2ever 'e miti(ated 2it$ #ro#er desi(n of t$e moorin( system and enforcement of t$e */m exclusion <one around t$e 2ind farm structure

%!F!%! C!S
+%E&!C+C S:C!E0G :3 C!A!L EC;!CEE&S1 199. Hydrology Handbook. 2nd ed. HonlineI 8nited States of +merica@ +SCE -u'lications +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>'oo7s (oo(le com>'oo7s)idJ-5 244(77n#8CK#rintsecJfrontcoverKd4J?ydrolo(yL$and'oo7LEyL+mericanLSocietyLofLCi vilLEn(ineers H+ccessed 1/ +#ril 2/11I Eendfeld1 M 1 "itsc$erlein1 & 1 S#lett1 % K Aoss1 M 1 2//9 ADCP and Waverider Measurements for O&M at offshore indfarm lo!ations. HonlineI -ader'orn +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>222 ontario5

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sea or(>Stora(e>27>1,77N+"C-NandNWaveriderN%easurementsNforN:K%NatNoffs$oreN2in dfarmNlocations #df H+ccessed 1/ +#ril 2/11I Eendfeld1 M 1 9rie(er1 M 1 and S#lett1 % 1 2/1/ Wave and Current measurements for Offshore Windfarms. H:nlineI ;ermany +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>222 e2ec2/1/#roceedin(s info>allfiles2>2,*NEWEC2/1/#resentation #df H+ccessed 19 +#ril 2/11I E :C 891 2//7 -ro6ect 8#date &o'in &i(( Ce2sletter1 S#rin( 2//7 B!ssue 11 # 4 %E0 :33!CE1 2/11 Wavenet and H" radar HonlineI Exeter +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>researc$ metoffice (ov u7>researc$>ocean>2avenet>index $tmlO2$atis H+ccessed 19 +#ril 2/11I ;&+"8+0E SC?::L :3 :CE+C:;&+-?G1 2/11 #ol ay "irth. HonlineI &$ode !sland1 &!@ :ffice of %arine -ro(rams +vaila'le from@ http899omp'gso'uri'edu9omp:e+9doee9science9descript9sol:a*'htm H+ccessed 1/ +#ril 2/11I -andian - 9 1 Emmanuel1 : 1 &uscoe1 M - 1 Side1 M C 1 ?arris1 & E 1 9err1 S + K Eullen1 C & 1 2/1/ An overvie of re!ent te!hnologies on ave and !urrent measurement in !oastal and marine a$$li!ations Mournal of :ceano(ra#$y and %arine Science HonlineI Aol 1(1) ## //15/1/ +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>222 academic6ournals or(>6oms>#df>#df2/1/>6an>#andianP2/etP2/al #df H+ccessed 1, +#ril 2/11I +ucott1 L 1 2//2 Develo$ment of a %ational Wave &e!ording %et ork for 'ngland and Wales !n@ M %c9ee Smit$ Coastal en(ineerin( 2//2@ solvin( coastal conundrums Cardiff@ World Scientific ## 134 51*2 WG+001 L & 1 2//9 8sin( ?3 radar to monitor 2aves1 currents and 2inds for marine HonlineI Ener(y &esearc$ Seminar1 8niversity of S$effield +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>222 s$effield ac u7>content>1>c.>/7>1,>9.>1*P2/ManP2/2//9P2/&adarP2/for P2/2aveP2/andP2/2indP2/measurement #df H+ccessed 1, +#ril 2/11I WGLL!E1 S M and 98L%+&1 % + 1 199* Coastal Wave Monitoring HonlineI ?o'art@ %anly ?ydraulics La'oratory +vaila'le from@ $tt#@>>m$l ns2 (ov au>222>2yllie $tmlx H+ccessed 1, +#ril 2/11I

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