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
Grouting to fill Voids
Sika grouting technologies are cementitious, resin or polyurethane binders. Engineering grouts are designed to completely fill voids and transfer load. SikaGrout® and Sikadur® are ideal for the filling of - vertical or horizontal joints; - for levelling of interacting concrete surfaces and filling very small holes - Sika cable grouts fill small crevices around post tensioned wires to protect the steel from corrosion.
Corrosion Protection of Wind Turbines
High demands for the corrosion protection exist for the construction of facilities on the high seas. Difficult accessibility makes partial on the spot replacements almost impossible. The coating systems for
- Steel tower and machine parts - Foundation structures as well as - Repair system offshore 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 ISO 12944-6, are ISO 20340 and NORSOK M-501.