Cotes has secured funding from Innovation Fund Denmark for the development of its off-grid protection solution for offshore wind transition pieces (TPs).
Project COOPER includes a solution that protects the bases of offshore wind turbines from corrosive effects of salt-laden airborne moisture in situations where power is not linked up or available yet.
According to Cotes, the concept helps offshore wind farms keep newly installed TPs in prime condition until the turbine towers are ready to be installed.
The funds for this patent-pending solution will help move forward with the project and accelerate commercial implementation, the Danish company said. Installation of the first prototype is planned for the Q3 2019.
At the early stages of construction, there is often no access to an electrical power supply to run a humidity management setup needed to protect the TPs from the effects of corrosive salt-laden airborne moisture.
Project COOPER uses a small diesel burner for heating the regeneration air and a mini wind turbine to continually charge the batteries that run a specially configured Cotes CWO26 dehumidifier.
The dehumidifier, the burner and the small wind turbine are all mounted inside the TP, along with a diesel tank, making service visits unnecessary, except to fill up the tank with diesel when needed, Cotes said.