4C Offshore Empowering Intelligence

Eager.one designs anode cage installation tool

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 22/01/2020 Eager.one

Eager.one has delivered a new type of anode cage installation tool for Van Oord to be used in the installation of offshore wind farms.  


Previous supplied tools were based on installing anode cages by means of a jack-up vessel, and most of these anode cages were designed for installation by means of a spreader. However, Van Oord requested an anode cage that could be installed from a floating vessel, Van Oord's heavy lift crane vessel
Svanen.

The challenge presented to the Eager.one team was to design an installation aid that can install the anode cages over the Mono Pile, while preventing collision between the anode cage and the monopile. This by means of a service crane with limited capacity, from a floating vessel. Based on these starting points the company designed and constructed the Anode Cage Installation Aid (ACIA).


Eager.one stated that weight restrictions, precise handling and monitoring were the main operational challenges, starting with how to position the Anode Cage (AC) over the Mono Pile (MP). Installing the AC directly over the MP is not possible due to the motions of the vessel and marginal tolerances. Therefore, the ACIA, with the AC connected to it, will first be lifted onto the MP.


Once positioned according to the required heading, the three synchronized winches will lower the AC over the ACIA towards the MP flange (see diagrams at the right). By means of eye-to-eye slings the AC is connected to a lowering ring, which is an aluminium circular truss frame that will guide the ACs towards the installation position.


Spring-loaded wheels are connected to the lowering ring. These wheels follow the ACIA structure down to the MP and make sure that the AC will stay exactly centred and will not collide with the MP.


The hydraulics and electrical and instrumentation fitted onto the lowering ring are powered via the umbilical winch fitted onto the ACIA. The design of the ACIA had weight restrictions and therefore lightweight materials such as aluminium were used.

The AC will be lowered to the installation position. This will be monitored by means of cameras, supported by lighting for visual confirmation of the AC position. In addition, the exact position can be determined by a pay-out measuring system in the winches.


As soon as the AC has reached the installation position, the pin-pushers will release the eye-to-eye sling on one side. In case the sling is stuck the secondary pin-pushers can release the other side of the sling as a mitigation. Once installed, the aluminium ring will be lifted back to the ACIA base, that is still positioned on top of the MP. After completion the ACIA will be lifted to the barge for a following AC installation.


The Factory Acceptance Test was completed in the second week of January. The ACIA will now be prepared for transport to the onshore harbour for commissioning and the training of Van Oord's operational crew.


For more information on offshore wind farms worldwide, click here.

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