Offshore Wind Parks
Wind turbines are situated in exposed locations where nature takes its toll.
Due to higher, more consistent wind speeds at sea, offshore wind turbines can generate substantially more energy than their onshore counterparts.
To take advantage of the steadier winds, offshore turbines are also bigger than onshore turbines and have an increased generation capacity. Nevertheless, designing offshore wind farms that can resist strong currents, heavy wind, powerful waves and rapid erosion are just some of the challenges faced. Sika has designed a special product ranges to meet these challenges:
Coating systems able to protect and minimize maintenance needed
Grouts capable of transferring the complete loads of the tower to the foundations with an enhanced fatigue resistance
Grouts designed with anti-corrosion properties to cope under these extreme conditions
Offshore wind parks
The offshore area is a rapidly growing industry with huge potential and massive developer interest. Due to higher, more consistent wind speeds at sea, offshore wind turbines can generate substantially more energy than their onshore counterparts. To take advantage of the steadier winds, offshore turbines are also bigger than onshore turbines and have an increased generation capacity. Nevertheless, designing offshore wind farms that can resist strong currents, heavy wind, powerful waves and rapid erosion are just some of the challenges faced. Sika has designed a special product ranges to meet these challenges:
- Coating systems able to protect and minimize maintenance needed
- Grouts capable of transferring the complete loads of the tower to the foundations with an enhanced fatigue resistance
- Grouts designed with anti-corrosion properties to cope under these extreme conditions
Sika has developed a complete range of offshore grouts adapted to all kinds of existing foundations. From the most demanding monopile foundation to a deeper jacket foundation Sika will be your success partner. These grouts have been designed to be used with extreme temperatures, with an extreme fatigue resistance, even under water, and with a great workability that allows the grouting works to be completed without blockages occurring in pipes.
With maintenance periods of 20 to 25 years, the lifetime of the anti-corrosion protection coatings must be of a high standard to survive under extreme conditions. Permanent water, water changes and splash water in a maritime environment, extreme temperature fluctuations, harsh UV effects and permanent mechanical effects and abrasion all have to be factored in. Therefore, the quality and selection of an efficient anti-corrosion coating for all steel and cast iron components is vital.
Grouting
Engineering grouts are designed to completely fill voids and transfer load.
Sika grouting technologies are ideal for:
- Filling of vertical and horizontal joints and small holes
- Levelling of interacting concrete surfaces
- Protecting post-tensioned wires from corrosion
One of the essential requirements for high performance grouts is the consistent production and workability of the grout under difficult conditions, onshore and offshore. Our grouts meet all of these demanding requirements.They have been developed and extensively tested to withstand all types of weathering and climatic conditions.
Horizontal joints between tower and foundation
Cement and epoxy based grouting products are suitable for the wind towers thanks to their excellent load transfer capacity and extreme flowability. Sika Grout® –3000 series and Sikadur® range are specially designed to meet the most demanding requirements.
Vertical Joints between precast elements
High performing cementitious grouts have been developed to achieve the required pumpability for these type of joints. These grouts are developed to protect the steel cables against corrosion increasing their durability and service life.
Horizontal joints between precast elments
Cement based grouting products are suitable for the wind towers thanks to their excellent fatigue resistance behavior and their excellent flowability. Sika Grout® –3000 series are especially designed to meet all demanding requirements. For adhering two concrete precast elements, check our structural bonding section.
Offshore Grouting
In offshore structures, the materials used are submitted to extreme conditions, typically carrying a high maintenance cost. Therefore, all the materials used, including the grouts used in connections, have to be high performing and durable. SikaGrout® -3500 WP meets these demanding requirements for all types of foundations.
SikaGrout® -3500 WP has the following advantages:
- Outstanding flow properties
- Extremely long workability to avoid blockages in the pumping lines
- Annular gaps can be fully filled, free from voids, even under water
- Self compacting behavior
- Good consistence stability without sedimentation
Robust, long-lasting and efficient
High demands for the corrosion protection exist for the construction of facilities on the high seas. We have seen from other fields, difficult accessibility makes partial on the spot replacements almost impossible. The coating systems must therefore be designed in such a way as to withstand the climate over the entire lifetime of the construction, about 20 - 25 years. Further standards relating to corrosion protection in offshore environments, in addition to the EN ISO12944-6, are ISO 20340 and NORSOK M-501.
Steel tower and machine parts
The Sika® Permacor® protective paint system is applied according to the highest standards of the corrosion protection. Due to a very high mechanical durability, the tower sections are already protected during transport and especially during construction.
The main advantages:
Primer (zinc-rich): Sika Permacor-2311 Rapid
Intermediate Coat (EP): Sika Permacor-2215 EG VHS
Top Coat (PUR): Sika Permacor-2230 VHS or Sika Permacor-2330
Foundation structures
The construction of offshore wind turbines is carried out mostly on steel foundation structures such as monopiles, tripods, tripiles and jacket constructions. These surfaces are permanently immersed with seawater and require a coating system which, in addition to the requirements of corrosion protection is also extremely mechanically durable.
SikaCor SW-501 meets all these requirements. Furthermore, this
product is solvent-free and therefore very environmentally friendly.
Primer (EP): SikaCor SW-501
Top Coat (PUR): Optional: Sika Permacor-2230 VHS or Sika Permacor-2330
Repair system offshore
For the repair of damaged surfaces an innovative, abrasion resistant, single-layered, cartridge-packed, 2-component product has been developed and is the right choice whenever a simple, high performance and durable repair coating is required.
Cartridge: SikaCor SW-1000 RepaCor