Easy Platform

innov
Easy Platform 1

Easy Platform

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Project designation: Easy Platform – Development of innovative solutions for multi-weather suspended access Project code: POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039724 Total Cost: 302,966.82 € Funding value: 218,405.75 € (FEDER) Intervention Region: North; Center; Lisbon; Alentejo Start date: 01/02/2020 Completion date: 31/01/2022

SUMMARY: Currently, the external access to wind towers, for inspection and maintenance, is made mostly by metal platforms, these access systems have only recently been adapted to the geometry of the blades and towers and are very limited in the weather conditions during which they can operate, in such a way that typically they can only be used on about 35% of the days of the year. It is immediate to indemnify that this limitation creates major economic losses in the energy production of the wind turbine which can remain inoperative for days or weeks. Both OEm?s and park owners have been under a lot of pressure to lower energy production costs and consequently the maintenance costs associated with unwanted downtime that have a significant impact on those costs. Thus the EasyPlatform project intends to develop the accessory technologies that will allow the work at height to take place in multi-weather condition. To achieve this goal a number of innovative solutions are proposed, through these solutions it will be possible the number of days/year will be doubled to 70%. These solutions will, in a first phase, revolutionize the way preventive and reactive operation and maintenance is done in the wind industry, generating value in the O&M market valued at US$13.7 billion (2016).   GOALS:

  1. Investigate and develop solutions to carry out maintenance operations on blades and towers in adverse weather conditions, such as rain, high relative humidity, moderate wind, night time. And so, increase the days of the year when it is possible to perform maintenance operations from 35% to 70%.
  2. Investigate and develop new scientific skills in strategic areas for the growth of companies in this consortium.
  3. Introduce to the market new solutions that highlight the competition.
  4. Investigate and develop a fast and flexible application chamber, which allows to create a rain-protected and controlled atmosphere in terms of humidity and temperature, and involving: the region to be repairs, the technicians and the necessary equipment.
  5. Investigate and develop secondary anchoring systems, the tower and paddle, which allow to stabilize and mobilize the platform under the influence of wind up to 13m/s.
  6. Carrying out a set of tests and tests necessary to verify the feasibility of technological solutions

This project received support from the Northern Regional Operational Program – NORTE2020.