Anti-Corrosion Technology for Offshore Wind Farms

By Colin Pawsey

Offshore wind turbines are designed to have a service life of 20-25 years, but corrosion can
cause ongoing problems for operators in terms of maintenance, and in doing so, have a
significant effect on the overall cost of energy. The aggressive conditions at sea require specialist
coatings to protect the structure above and below the water, and although techniques have
been borrowed from other marine industries, offshore wind farms have their own individual
characteristics to contend with.
The offshore environment
The harsh environment offshore requires highly effective anti-corrosion coatings and the
difference in exposure compared with onshore turbines is vast. Onshore exposure generally
consists of cyclical dew or condensation, with or without minor salinity, and exposure to
sunlight, resulting in moderate corrosion at weak points and damaged areas of the coating. In
an offshore environment, anti-corrosion coatings have to protect structures above and below
the water line, and at the splash zone, and are subjected to humidity with high salinity, UV
light, wave action, and storms. Onshore corrosivity is evaluated at around C3, which equates
to a thickness loss of 25-50 m. The coatings used for offshore applications are rated in the
category C5, and can provide a dry film thickness of more than 1000 m.
Corrosion protection technology

Source: Hempel

The majority of turbines in operation

across Europe today are supported
by monopile foundations, and
these are the test case for new
coating systems coming to the
market. However, any new ideas
and innovations must also be
prepared for the next generation
of turbines which are likely to use
different types of foundations. As
the industry progresses more data
has been gathered from previous
installations and lessons are being
learned from wind farms where
corrosion has caused issues.
Monitoring systems are also being
introduced which can continually
monitor turbines for structural
health, and report on the state
of corrosion in real time. There
are also innovative new coatings
being developed to provide better
protection for the offshore sector,
and this is a good opportunity to
look at some of the new technology

www.corrosion-offshore.com

in anti-corrosion protection.
Hempel AvantGuard
Hempel has been a long time supplier of high performance coatings to the wind industry, and
in September this year announced the launch of HEMPADUR AvantGuard, a portfolio of three
new anti-corrosive zinc primers designed for tough C4 and C5 corrosive conditions.
Based on the companys new AvantGuard technology, the primers are significantly longerlasting than zinc epoxies, but can be applied using the same techniques. The technology
stems from the discovery in 2006 that only around a third of the zinc in standard zinc epoxies
had an anti-corrosive effect. Hempel set about creating a primer that would exploit the other
two-thirds through greater zinc activation. Approximately 7,000 laboratory hours led to the
development of AvantGuard, which is aimed specifically at structures in tough environments
that will benefit from low maintenance costs and long maintenance intervals.
The primers use hollow glass spheres and a proprietary activator to activate more zinc in
the coating. The resulting coating is able to provide much greater galvanic protection than
standard zinc primers, and also enables barrier and inhibitor protection. According to Hempel,
this unique formulation also contributes to the coatings mechanical strength through a selfhealing process. In a standard protective system the zinc primer is often the weakest point,
and is most susceptible to cracks as the steel expands and contracts. With the AvantGuard
primers, the glass spheres absorb most of the impact to prevent cracks from developing, while
the sub-products formed during zinc activation occupy the space left by the micro-crack to
prevent it from developing further.
The technology will be of interest to the offshore wind industry, having shown increased
durability in extensive testing. Hempel state that the salt spray test according to ISO 12944
showed excellent corrosion properties; reduced rust creep and enhanced corrosion protection
was shown in the cyclic corrosion test (ISO 20340) Norsok M 501 revision 6; and low water
permeability shows enhanced corrosion resistance through the barrier effect.
Design and fabrication considerations
While coatings and ICCP systems are the first line of defence against corrosion, the design
and fabrication of the steel structure is also critical for long term protection. Before the coating
can be applied, the structure must be constructed in a way that is suitable to accept the
primer successfully. Coatings can only protect accessible surfaces and the design must reflect
this. EN ISO 12944, part 3, design considerations, recommends that appropriate distances
required for tools in corrosion protection work are respected. The standard also provides
guidance on the minimum dimensions for openings that provide access to confined areas, the
minimum dimensions for narrow spaces between surfaces, and the incorporation of design
features that can be used to avoid deposits accumulating or water being trapped.
A further standard, ISO 8501, part 3, preparation grades of welds, edges, and other areas with
surface imperfections, should also be considered during fabrication. The standard is relevant
to steel construction, rather than primer application, and gives recommendations about the
condition of the steel surface if paints are to be applied later for long term corrosion protection.
For offshore structures, preparation grades P2 or P3 should be specified, depending on the
type of structure. These grades require the steel surface to be free of welding splatters and
slags, pores, undercuts and laminations. The surface should also be dressed (by grinding) to
remove irregular shapes and sharp-edged profiles.

www.corrosion-offshore.com

Summary
Anti-corrosion protection is vital for the long term health of the offshore wind industry. The
experiences of early wind farms have shown that corrosion offshore is more of an issue than
first thought, and the harsh conditions that wind turbines are exposed to are vastly different
to those experienced on land. The high salinity, humidity, and wave action around the splash
zone create different problems, and corrosion protection must be much more robust.
New technologies are required to provide protection for larger turbines in deeper water and
harsher conditions, with new types of foundations. While the majority of anti-corrosion systems
are based around monopile foundations as this is the common type throughout Europe
there will be a need to transfer these technologies to other foundation types in the near future.
Advances such as Hempels new AvantGuard technology will be hugely beneficial to the wind
industry as the activation of the additional zinc in the primers creates longer-lasting protection.
The self-healing aspect of the primers is also an advantage, particularly as wind farms move
further from the coast, and repairs become even more expensive. ICCP systems will also
help the industry to move forward. These systems are preferential to conventional cathodic
systems which use sacrificial anodes and release the material into the sea.
The development of sophisticated monitoring systems alongside these new technologies will
aid operators over the lifetime of the wind farm. The ability to constantly monitor each turbine
and substructure for structural health and corrosion will reduce inspection time, repair time,
and ultimately the cost of maintenance.
Corrosion is an issue for the offshore wind industry and will be a long term problem for wind
farms; it is something that must be managed from initial design and fabrication, through to
installation, operation and maintenance.

About the Author:

Colin Pawsey is a freelance technical journalist, focusing on
new trends and technologies in the renewable energy and
automotive sectors. He is a regular contributor and writing
consultant to Wind Energy IQ and Automotive IQ, and is also
the founder of copywriting agency Pure Copy.

Sources:

http://www.hempel.co.uk/en-gb/protective/~/media/300CF7728E9C41CF804F56FF8A0456D4.pdf
http://www.cathelco.com/userfiles/Cathelco%20Wind%20Turbine%20ICCP%20brochure.pdf
http://www.ewea.org/
http://www.renewableuk.com/
http://www.ewea.org/news/detail////wind-directions-magazine-optimising-operations/
http://www.hempel.com/en/about-hempel/news/2014/hempel%20redefines%20anti-corrosion%20with%20
the%20launch%20of%20avantguard%20technology

www.corrosion-offshore.com