First robotic ‘blade walk’ on a wind turbine
The UK has achieved the world’s first blade walk by a robot on an offshore wind turbine, thanks to BladeBUG and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
Image source: ORE Catapult
UK, Fife: The UK has achieved the world’s first blade walk by a robot on an offshore wind turbine, thanks to BladeBUG and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
Over two days in mid-October, the six-legged inspect-and-repair robot repeatedly scaled blades at ORE Catapult’s 7 MW Levenmouth Demonstration turbine off the coast of Fife. BladeBUG represents a 30 % cost reduction on current blade inspection techniques, which are conducted by rope-access technicians, with a measurable knock-on effect to the levelised cost of energy. For next generation turbines, ORE Catapult predicts the cost savings could reach as much as 50 %. These costs have traditionally been one of the primary areas of concern for offshore operators, as sea conditions and faster tip speeds can lead to significant blade damage over time.
The robot is being developed under a $1.34 M (£1 M) collaboration project between BladeBUG and ORE Catapult, partly funded by Innovate UK. By the project’s end next year, BladeBUG will be capable of inspecting blade surfaces for emergent cracks and imperfections, transmitting data on their condition back to shore and resurfacing the blades.
During the demonstration, the robot walked 50 m on a vertically positioned blade on the Levenmouth turbine (a length of 84 m with the tip reaching 195 m above the sea when upright).
The crucial capabilities demonstrated during the trial were:
- Perfect adherence of its vacuum-padded feet to blade surfaces in offshore conditions
- Ability to navigate the varying curvature of blade surfaces in a variety of scenarios
- Transmission of data from blade scans and live video feed to technicians demonstrating the BladeBUG’s navigational abilities and placement of feet on changing surfaces
“This is an incredibly significant technology that we know is being keenly watched by the industry as a potential game-changer,” said Chris Hill, ORE Catapult’s Operational Performance Director.
Chris Cieslak, BladeBUG CEO added, “This is such a historic moment for us as a company. It has been so exciting to see results of months of work and development in action and this latest test marks the huge progress we have made.”
The robot is also a key component of the $5.6 M (£4.2 M) MIMRee project which will demonstrate a fully autonomous inspection and repair mission to an offshore wind farm.
During these trials, BladeBUG will work in collaboration with an autonomous vessel and teams of drones, using a robotic arm to clean and resurface damaged blades. The final MIMRee system technology trials are set to take place in mid-2021.
Source: ORE Catapult