Development of All Synthetic Fairlead, Mooring line & Anchor System MRCF Testing, Qualification & Commercialisation of advanced mooring system for wave & tidal arrays MESAT Synthetic Fibre Rope Polymer Line Fairleads Ben Yeats Tension Technology International Ltd 5 th of May 2016 MRCF - Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund MESAT - Marine Energy Supporting Array Technologies
The mooring system (MRCF/MESAT combined)
Why synthetics? Conventional chain/wire in comparison: Heavy Expensive Corrodes High maintenance High failure rate North Sea one line will fail per platform every 9 Years Worldwide one line will fail per platform every 5.4 years Insufficient compliance of chain/wire catenary compared to nylon
MRCF project aims To develop and qualify enabling technology and mooring products suitable for station-keeping of a wide range of floating wave and tidal array based technologies. To build on related mooring subsystem qualification programmes funded by Carbon Trust and TSB. To advance qualification of a novel anchor bag in accordance with DNV Recommended Practice for new technology (DNV-RP-A203). To advance qualification of Nylon rope in accordance with Lloyd s Register Technology Pathway To develop methodologies and guidance for the design of Nylon based mooring systems To demonstrate step changes in cost reduction while increasing mooring array density. To demonstrate technology viability through open water testing.
MRCF - Nylon Mooring Line & Anchor Bag Dev. H&S
MRCF - Modelling Nylon Stiffness
MRCF - Extensive Rope Testing Programme for Nylon Qualification Process with LR
MRCF - Anchor Bag Design & Manufacture
MRCF - Anchor Bag Design & Manufacture
MRCF - Anchor Bag Filling & Wet Test - Orkney
MRCF - Trial Deployment & Recovery - Falmouth
MRCF - Deployment & Recovery Orcaflex Simulation
MRCF End Users Bluewater & IDEOL
MRCF Key Outcomes I 1. Completed extensive rope testing programme for nylon. Key tests witnessed by Lloyd's Register. 2. Lloyd s Register facilitated FMEA approach to qualification of nylon with input from all project stakeholders (High TRL). 3. Lloyd s Register Statement of Compliance Nylon Qualifcation. 4. Developed new technique for modelling non-linear and hysteresis stiffness of nylon. 5. Completed validation trials of Orcaflex via tank tests of dummy buoy. 6. Developed guidelines for the modelling of nylon based mooring systems
MRCF Key Outcomes II 1. Completed qualification plan for anchor bag design (DNV- RP-203) 2. Design & manufacture of 10 x 50T capacity gravity bags 3. Deployment and recovery trials of single anchor bag. 4. Completed cost benefit assessment of technology for range of generic device sizes, environments and water depths. 5. Completed cost benefit studies for partner devices. 6. Chain costs can be an order of magnitude bigger than nylon, as chain needs a bigger break load to satisfy Min FOS. 7. Array densities in MW/km 2 are significantly improved.
MESAT - Synthetic Fibre Rope Polymer Line Fairleads Aims Develop Fibre Rope Top End Tensioning & Fairlead System Design Fairlead & Liner Design Rope Bend Testing to simulate motions Quantify Wear
MESAT - Fairlead Liner & Pennant Pull-in line Bending angle
MESAT - Challenges Wear rate, rope will wear (Think Chain Corrosion Allowance) Bending/Wrap Angle Material behaviour, low friction rope and liner Durability
MESAT - Bend Test Running 18 Degree Wrap Angle
MESAT - Outcomes Special protective jacketing system developed showed no wear after 6 month simulated field cycling test with highest peak load 60% 18 degree wrap, outer layer
MESAT - Outcomes No wear on polymer fairlead after 6 month simulated field cycling test with highest peak load 60% 18 degree wrap, rope core Polished nylon fairlead
MESAT - Outcomes Nylon lubricated polymer fairleads developed Polymer fairlead design has been applied to other renewable projects
Applying learnings to new projects Scottish Enterprise - Tidal Energy Array Cabling Project
MESAT - Benefits Light weight, no heavy chain or handling equipment Reduced maintenance No fatigue issues, unlike many bending fatigue failures in chain Fast and easy hook-up/disconnect using light rope
Future Developments -building on MESAT /MRCF Looking to develop further projects to field test the three sub-systems combined as first fully-synthetic mooring system anchor bag, nylon mooring line & synthetic fairlead Bring fairlead and anchor bag to technology readiness level (TRL) of nylon mooring lines. Immediate commercialisation of nylon for marine renewable systems (sub 100m water depth). Sub-systems can be mixed and matched with more conventional subsystems.
Contact: Ben Yeats Yeats@tensiontech.com +44(0)7749504429