Thermal Characterization and Thermal Effect Assessment of Biofouling around a Dynamic Submarine Electrical Cable

Ziad Maksassi, Bertrand Garnier, Ahmed Ould El Moctar, Franck Schoefs and Emmanuel Schaeffer
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Ziad Maksassi: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Thermique et Énergie de Nantes (LTeN), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6607, Nantes Université, F-44000 Nantes, France
Bertrand Garnier: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Thermique et Énergie de Nantes (LTeN), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6607, Nantes Université, F-44000 Nantes, France
Ahmed Ould El Moctar: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Thermique et Énergie de Nantes (LTeN), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6607, Nantes Université, F-44000 Nantes, France
Franck Schoefs: École Centrale Nantes, CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Génie Civil et Mécanique (GeM), UMR 618, Institut Universitaire Mer et Littoral (IUML) FR 3473, Nantes Université, F-44000 Nantes, France
Emmanuel Schaeffer: Institut de Recherche en Énergie Électrique de Nantes-Atlantique (IREENA), Unité de Recherche (UR) 4642, IUML FR 3473, Nantes Université, F-44600 Saint-Nazaire, France

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: Wind energy is expected to play a significant role in meeting emission targets over the next 20 years. Offshore wind turbines in deep water (>150 m) must be developed due to resource quality, environmental, and activity constraints. Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) will be the best technology for reaching these targets. The dynamic submarine electrical cable (DSEC) is a key component of FOWT. Its electric insulation system is intended to withstand a maximum conductor temperature of 90 °C. However, biofouling growth, particularly mussels, can modify the heat transfer around the cable and thus its maximum conductor temperature, as well as temperature fluctuation, affecting the fatigue lifetime. In our work we estimate the effective thermal conductivity of mussels of various ages, as well as the heat transfer coefficient of the water around them. The results revealed that the effective thermal conductivity of juvenile mussels is lower than that of mix (both juvenile and adult) and only adult mussels. This variation in effective thermal conductivity with mussel age is related to the water porosity of the mussel’s layer. Then, the thermal effect of the resulting global thermal resistance can lead the DSEC conductor wire to either overheat (colonized by juvenile and mixed mussels) or cool down (colonized by adult mussels). Numerical simulations are used to quantify this effect.

Keywords: electric dynamic cable; biofouling; thermal characterization of biofouling; effective thermal conductivity; marine renewable energy; floating offshore wind turbine; mussels (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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