Cutting operating costs by 75% and investment cost by 30%
The FSCC reduces investment costs by 30% and operating costs by a full 75%. These are crucial elements in a rapidly expanding offshore wind sector.
As major offshore wind developments gain speed, the sector will attract increased attention and experience increasing competition.
Finding ways to reduce both capital expenditure and operating costs will be key success factors.
Conventional solutions have serious cost challenges
Size and complexity makes seawater lift pump systems expensive to manufacture and install.
Due to operational problems like clogging and the need for frequent maintenance, these systems must be configured with high redundancy, e.g. 3x100% pumps.
A system for chemicals dosing is required to control marine growth in the seawater loop.
Using high-power lift pumps to supply seawater for HVDC platform cooling also means high energy consumption.
Heavy-duty rotating equipment and operational problems like clogging causes a need for frequent maintenance to sustain operational performance. The consumption of chemicals to control marine growth adds to operating costs.
Big savings in the short and longer terms
An FSCC solution can cut the cooling system operating costs by 75% and capital expenditure by 30%.
The less complex, robust and compact FSCC technology involves static subsea equipment with a closed-loop cooling circuit where there are no moving parts except from a topside circulation pump.
This alone can save up to 6 million kWh/year for a single HVDC platform – energy that could be sold at a profit for the operator.
More cost effective and efficient
The FSCC technology eliminates the risk of particles, debris and marine growth clogging the cooling systems. A chemicals dosing system is no longer required.
The elimination of operational problems like clogging and the removal of heavy-duty rotating equipment dramatically cuts maintenance needs and costs.
The maintenance interval of an FSCC system is predicted to be five years.
