Balmoral HexDefence
FAQs

In offshore wind farms, scour protection around monopiles is a critical element of the foundation design. Monopiles are large steel tubes that are driven into the seabed to support wind turbines in offshore environments. The scour around the monopile can cause erosion of the seabed, potentially leading to instability of the foundation, wind turbine and power cables.

Scour protection measures for monopiles typically involve the installation of an additional layer of material around the base of the monopile to prevent sediment erosion. This layer can be made of various materials, including rock, concrete or a specially designed geotextile fabric. The layer is placed on the seabed around the monopile to dissipate the energy of the fluid flow and reduce the rate of erosion.

The choice of scour protection depends on several factors including water depths, sediment characteristics and expected flow velocities. In some cases, scour protection may not be necessary if the seabed is stable but in areas with high flow velocities or unstable sediment a robust scour protection system is essential to ensure the stability and longevity of the monopile foundation and associated cables.

Balmoral HexDefence is a patented scour protection system that integrates seabed protection and flow reduction to reduce offshore operational costs. It prevents scour development and accelerated flow around a monopile, which is critical to cable protection system (CPS) design.

Balmoral HexDefence is a scour protection system consisting of lightweight advanced composites panels that interlock and are externally profiled for rigidity and connection. The panels are custom-sized to fit monopile diameters in lengths of around 10m and feature integrated lifting and access points.

In simple terms, the Balmoral HexDefence scour protection installation procedure involves sinking the foundation, sleeving it with HexDefence, fitting the transition piece and assembling the pylon and blades. Balmoral HexDefence can also be retrofitted to existing monopile structures.

Balmoral HexDefence scour protection system offers several key benefits, including the elimination of excessive rock operations and a non-invasive approach to the monopile structure.

The lightweight advanced composites construction and streamlined installation method using existing vessel and handling equipment also make it easy to install without the need for additional vessels.

The system is retrofittable and reduces accelerated and turbulent flow, improving the fatigue life of cables. It also significantly reduces the length of exposed cable, allowing burial closer to the monopile meaning lesser chance of CPS and cable failure.

Additionally, the system is capable of use with antifouling and does not require special equipment for end-of-life recovery.