Test successfully completed with innovative hammer for offshore wind farm
Carbon Trust, Fistuca and their partners have announced that the offshore test with the Fistuca BLUE 25M hammer (part of the Offshore Wind Accelerator BLUE PILOT project) has been successfully completed.
The offshore test was conducted off the Dutch coast on 13 August, using the Svanen, Van Oord's installation vessel. The BLUE Hammer is an innovative hammer, using a large water tank to install the monopiles with more power but quieter. With this method, the underwater noise can be reduced by about 20 decibels (SEL). In addition, the damage caused by steel fatigue during the installation of the monopile can be reduced by up to 90 percent. As a result, fewer measures need to be taken to reduce underwater noise and this technique makes it possible to weld secondary samples to the monopile before installation. This paves the way for designs without transition pieces. Another advantage is that less work needs to be carried out offshore, which improves safety and working conditions and reduces installation costs.
The offshore test has provided insights for future commercial activities. Data were collected on the speed at which the monopile was immersed in the seabed and on noise reduction in the vicinity of the monopile. The results are analysed and linked to the test results obtained for the offshore test. This will enable Fistuca to optimise the hammer for future use in the commercial construction of offshore wind farms.
