Motion platforms to make easy access to offshore structures
Whereas motion platforms are usually used to simulate real world motion, Dr Jan van der Tempel and his colleagues at TUDelft intend to use them to cancel real world motion so that maintenance crew can gain safe access to wind turbines and other offshore structures in rough weather.
He has given the project the name, “Ampelmann”, after the pedestrian crossing symbol used in Germany.
The system detects motion using an ‘Octans’ giro compass and sensing system made by the French headquartered company, IXSea. Information from the sensing system is used to keep a top platform level and at constant height relative to the fixed object to be maintained. Following tests with a scale model, the next stage is to be the construction of a full scale prototype, ready for offshore testing at the end of Summer 2007. The reference site is to be the 108MW near shore Wind Park off the Dutch Coast. To give the system a workability of more than 90 per cent, the system must be able to work up to and including a sea state with a significant wave height of 2.5m. At the test site, this translates to being able to work 93 per cent of the year.
More information from Ampelmann Project at TU Delft
