Hempel helps reduce offshore costs

Corrosion protection for wind turbines, which are usually made out of steel, is normally the last step during a production process, but as the demand increases for faster drying coatings, lower thickness and fewer coats, Hempel told Maritime Journal it’s looking to develop new products for the sector.

Anders Voldsgaard Clausen, power generation business manager, said: “The wind market in general is growing roughly 5-6% per year and we sit on something like 60% for the world market, so it’s a fairly important segment for us and we of course intend to follow this growth.”

“In general, the approach to protecting wind turbines is a three-coat system. The wind power sector is under pressure to reduce cost, and if you want to have wind power as a mainstream source of energy, then you need to reduce the cost of producing that energy,” he added.

Two-coat system
Moving on from the typical three-coat system, which consists of an epoxy primer, epoxy midcoat and polyurethane topcoat, the company told MJ it’s now promoting a two-coat system.

This new two-coat system will have a combined primer and midcoat – which is essentially what protects the steel structure from corrosion – so instead of waiting for three coats to dry, the customer will only have to wait for two.

Hempel says this could potentially cut wind turbine production time in half. “The new products are specifically designed as two-coat systems and fast curing so you can get a tower through the production process roughly 50% quicker than normal,” Mr Clausen explained.

With 24 factories and 10 R&D centres worldwide, the company will develop its new products, ensuring they meet European regulations DIN EN ISO 12944, ISO 20340 and NORSOK M 501.

Hempel already has a strong presence in the offshore energy industry, supplying to all the major players including Vestas Wind Systems, Siemens Wind Power, Acciona, Gamesa, Nordex, as well as those in India and China, among others.

Antifouling and topcoats
The company also produces a range of antifouling paints and topcoats for the marine industry. Its Hempasil X3, which it continues to develop, has already been used on tugs, RIBs and workboats.

The hull paint consists of unique non-reactive polymers which create an invisible barrier between the hull surface and the seawater to prevent fouling organisms including barnacles, slime and seaweed, from attaching themselves. This keeps the hull smooth and reduces drag in the water, thus reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs.

Where traditional self-cleaning hull applications are effective only while meeting the water at high speeds, the X3 is effective at speeds as low as eight knots, making it more suited to the workboat industry, which often operates its vessels at intermittent low speeds.

Its main region for this market is Europe, but with new factories in Russia and India, demand continues to grow.

Hempel says it plans to release its new renewable energy products in the coming months.

By Rachael Doyle