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= TIDALSENSE DEMO =

Summary
TidalSense Demo is a European funded project under the FP7, Research for the Benefits of SMEs. The kick-off Meeting took place on 16th-17th of February 2012. The first objective of this project is to demonstrate the applicability of the novel sensor-based condition/structural health monitoring system developed in the preceding project “TidalSense” to a representative selection of tidal energy devices at real use conditions. Furthermore, the project aims to set a baseline for assessing the overall performance of the new system relative to conventional approaches to condition monitoring. TidalSense Demo, will also comprise the industrialization of the newly developed sensors for monitoring elements manufactured using modern composite materials, such as fibre metal laminates, honeycombs, glass or carbon fibre reinforced plastics, the study of their feasibility as condition monitoring equipment in several tidal energy conversion (TEC) devices, including different ones to those used as reference for their design, and the sea trials of the system.

Tidal currents are being recognized as a resource to be exploited for the sustainable generation of electrical power. The high load factors resulting from the fact that water is 800 times denser than air and the predictable and reliable nature of tides compared with the wind makes tidal energy particularly attractive for electric power generation. Condition monitoring will be key for exploiting it cost- efficiently. “TidalSense Demo” project will suppose the demonstration of the results obtained in TIDALSENSE project, in order to clear the pace of these technologies towards commercial maturity. The original project, TidalSense, “Development of a condition monitoring system for tidal stream generator structures” was submitted in the call FP7-SME-2008-1 and received the grant agreement number 232518. Tidalsense was a two year project sponsored by the European Commission under FP7 Research for the benefit of the SMEs, that started in September 2009 and finished in August 2011. The project aims to deliver a condition monitoring system for tidal stream energy conversion equipment.

The new project, TIDALSENSE DEMO comprises the industrialization of the developed sensors for monitoring elements manufactured using modern composite materials, such as fibre metal laminates, honeycombs, glass or carbon fibre reinforced plastics, the study of their feasibility as condition monitoring equipment in several tidal energy converters (TEC), including different ones to those used as reference for their design, and the sea trials of the system. As needed work it will comprise also the preparation of the validation tools and associated subsystems (communications, power supply), installation procedures (prior to TEC deployment and in working devices), and demonstration of maintenance replacement procedures in an existing working installation under usual conditions of salt water, working temperature swing, high current and wave stress and potential apparition of storms.

Introduction
o	The TidalSense Demo project will implement the demonstration of the results obtained in the preceding project TidalSense, in order to accelerate the pace of these technologies towards commercial maturity. The original project TidalSense, “Development of a condition monitoring system for tidal stream generator structures” was submitted in the call FP7-SME-2008-1 and received the grant agreement number 232518. It was a two year project sponsored by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework (FP7) Research for the benefit of the SMEs, that started in September 2009 and was completed by end of August 2011. The project delivered a condition monitoring system for tidal stream energy conversion equipment.

Objectives
The objectives of the TidalSense Demo project are:


 * 1) To provide industrial validation to the TidalSense System as a complete Condition Monitoring System for key elements of tidal energy converters(TECs) manufactured with composite material using long range ultrasonic transducers (LRUT) . This industrial validation will be carried on with full size, working elements and in real sea conditions, through a set of trials of enough duration and with different TECs.
 * 2) To evaluate the performance of the TidalSense System as a reliable Condition Monitoring System, through the characterization of the data acquired and its interpretation combined with the data coming from the SCADA system of the TECs.
 * 3) To demonstrate maintainability, as well as the repeatability and reproducibility of the system, by performing transducer replacement over working elements and through comparison and analysis of the resulting data before and after the maintenance operation.
 * 4) To define procedures for deployment of the TidalSense system.
 * 5) To perform a feasibility study and cost-benefit analysis that will demonstrate the applicability of the novel sensor-based condition / structural health monitoring system developed in the preceding SME RTD project TidalSense to a representative selection of tidal energy devices at real use conditions.
 * 6)  To set a baseline for assessing the overall performance of the new system relative to conventional approaches to condition monitoring, with regard to installation as well as in-service performance costs and benefits.
 * 7) To set up the validation tools that will be used in the demonstration of the TidalSense monitoring system, and implement them in the software package that collects, stores and allows analysis of the data generated.
 * 8) To define an exploitation strategy that maximise the value of the project for the SMEs through the adoption of the TidalSense System as the state-of-the-art solution for condition monitoring of composite elements in Tidal Energy Converters.

Limitation of Current Technology & International State of Art
At present, there is no inspection technique for tidal stream generators other than visual inspection using ROVs, but there are many methods in use that could be applied for inspection of tidal stream generators, such as ultrasonic testing and radiography [1-3]. Unfortunately, most of these inspection methods are not expedient for monitoring of tidal stream generators because their application is very difficult and dangerous under water and because of their low inspection speed and high price. Because the technique proposed here can monitor and inspect a large component using a single location, it is seen as being the most suitable technique for automated condition monitoring.

Current inspection NDT Technology and limitation of current technology for sub-sea inspection
	LRUT is a technique routinely used on land pipelines and offshore topside pipelines but there are no LRUT that have been developed for the inspection of deep water pipelines for the detection or gross weld defects. This way the progress from state of the art by “TidalSense Demo” project is to provide a developed prototype LRUT system, sensors & techniques for detection of defects (corrosion, impacts, ...) in tidal stream generator at water depths of up to 100 metres. The novel AE/LRU technique developed in the TidalSense project enables the region of damage to be determined long before it leads to actual failure. The technique will also be able to identify other regions, commonly called secondary failure zones, showing damage but of lesser amplitude. Focusing, as a constituent part of this novel combined technique, will greatly increase the sensitivity and improve the accuracy of defect location.

Contributions of Tidalsense and Tidalsense Demo
The contributions that TidalSense project is making to the advancement of knowledge and technological progress in condition monitoring of composite elements, that will be receive the industrial validation through TidalSense Demo project may be summarized as follows:

The novel application of LRU and AE to inspection of tidal stream generators, allowing 100% volume coverage. The novel application of flexible piezocomposite transducers to LRU/AE allowing perfect adaptation of shape to structures of complex contour, and thus perfect acoustic coupling into such structures. The use of guided wave focussing in new applications. The development of instrumentation and software for LRUT and AE monitoring of tidal generators. The development of signal processing techniques for signal enhancement including novel time reversal focussing. The development of an automated defect detection and classification system (ADDS) including trend analysis which combines AE and LRU in an integrated way. The implementation of general wireless communication methods so that the data can be collected and transmitted both from generators directly to the office, without human intervention.

S/T methodology and associated work plan
Demonstration activities: There are four Demonstration work packages (WP1-4) devoted to the feasibility study of application to new tidal devices of the TidalSense System and cost analysis with previous analysis of market, alternative industries applications (WP1), the preparation of the sea trials (WP3) and Validation Tools (WP2) as preamble of the demonstration in real conditions of the System, and the industrial validation of the RTD results through sea trials of the developed solutions in at least three TECs, performance verification and evaluation of results, together with validation of maintenance operation (WP4). Management and exploitation activities: The last work package (WP6) is dedicated to the management and coordination of the TidalSense Demo project, and includes administrative, technical and internal / external contractual communication of the results and advances, The definition of a market strategy for the system, protection and exploitation of IPR, and a dissemination plan for communicating the advances to potential clients and the society in general are address in WP5 .

WP1: Applicability of TidalSense system and baseline demonstration criteria
Description and relevance to the project: WP1 forms a “bridge” to the preceding RTD project, being led by the previous lead RTD provider TWI and involving all partners engaged in the newly developed system. It defines the operational conditions and quantifies the expected benefit of the novel system over conventional solutions. WP1 prepares the field demonstration in WP4 and it feeds WP5, by delivering useful data for the quantification of the commercial exploitation potential.

WP2: Validation tools for Tidalsense system
Description and relevance to the project: The software essential for having the effective validation tools is not a separate output, but will forms an integral part of the TidalSense System to be demonstrated on operating tidal devices at sea.This WP thus extends the sensor-data analysis package created in the precursor RTD project with a set of hydrodynamic, flow and physical-environment data as well as device-specific data, such as the rotation/oscillation speeds of a given device. The SME partner software developer IKH is the systems integrator in charge of the full software, whereas Cereteth is in charge of the hardware integration and UCA of the flow conditions monitoring.

WP3: Deployment and installation of sensor systems planning
Description and relevance to the project: This WP delivers the procedures to follow in the demonstration work and must be carefully validated to reduce risks of downtime in the test sites .It forms the critical link between the preparatory tools-focused WP’s 1 and 2 and the “operationally” focused WP4. In order to define the working procedures in the two cases that will be dealt during the project a preliminary set of trials will be carried on both in the sensing elements alone and attached to the “blades” where the elements will be installed.

WP4: Sea Trials and Industrial Validation
Description and relevance to the project: WP4 will be the core of the technical activities of the Demo project. It will get the inputs from the previous work packages of specific installation requirements (WP1) and from the two preparatory ones, dedicated to the setting up of the validation tools that will be used to demonstrate the usefulness as an industrial condition monitoring system for Structural Health Monitoring of complex composite fibre metal laminates, honeycombs, glass or carbon fibre reinforced plastics (GRP or CRP) elements in tidal energy converters

WP5: Exploitation
Description and relevance to the project: WP5 will be the project work package dedicated to capitalize the effort developed in the two consecutive projects. A high level of dissemination activities will take place during the start of the project, as a tool to interact with potential users of the TidalSense System in the early stages of the Demonstration project. Their feedback will be used to define the types of consumers for our product and to establish the market strategy. The aim will be to maximise the economic benefit to the SMEs. Following an industry targeted market research, a business plan will be prepared by the WP leader, SME EnerOcean assisted by the experienced partner IT Power for submission and comment/approval by the project steering committee (PSC). The business plan will detail the most appropriate route for commercial exploitation to benefit the SME participants and will include a technical marketing plan, comprising the publishing of technical papers in appropriate technical and industry journals, attendance and exhibiting at renewable energy exhibitions and where appropriate, advertising in trade journals. Whereas this as a Demo project is not designed to create new IPR, the present project will significantly contribute to protecting, extending and pushing towards the market the IPR already created through the completed RTD. Moreover, by bringing in a dedicated service provider with a good track record in the emerging marine energy markets as the work package (and Project) responsible, the team of SME’s who led the development are taking the next steps towards realising the value created.

WP6: Management
Description and relevance to the project: InnotecUK will act as project coordinator and provide the project management and administration services. Dr. Nico Avdelidis will be appointed as project Manager, supported by in-house staff responsible for administrative and legal management. This team from InnotecUK will be completed by IT Power to assist with technical reporting, quality assurance and other support as needed. coordination. Resources have been provided in the planning for IT Power to assist, as required, specifically for such project management tasks as are not reserved by the EC Grant Agreement for the exclusive and operational own responsibility of the Coordinator. These could include: helping to run an efficient information flow system within the consortium, consortium meetings, helping to implement and communicate agreed adjustments to the work plan etc. InnotecUK, IT Power and EnerOcean have experience with executing (and in the case of IT Power, coordinating) large collaborative projects, including technology demonstrations, with National and European Consortia. To further limit risk, the other SME and scientific support partners will follow up closely through the Project Steering Committee.

InnotecUK
InnotecUK will be responsible for global coordination of the project, administration and financial, and also will have a substantial technical role in producing the ultrasonic instrumentation and procedures, being the Work Package leader for WP4 related to the preparatory work and performance of the sea trials.

EnerOcean S.L.
EnerOcean contributes in all Work Packages, except for WP6, and as WP5 leader is responsible for the preparation of a plan for the Exploitation of the results obtained in TidalSense and in TidalSense Demo. As a licensee of the other SME’s from the TidalSense team, Enerocean will also chair the IPR Exploitation subgroup and will lead the sea trials to be carried on in the new SMEs TECs.

ITPower
ITPower will have a major role in supporting the planning of the sea testing, drawing on their background from tidal and other marine energy systems, with most of its effort concentrated in the largest workpackage related to the sea trials, WP4.

I&T Nardoni
Nardoni will lead WP3 and support all WP’s with its knowledge of NDT and Condition Monitoring in off-shore industries, work carried on mainly in WP1 and WP3, and as support in the Demos.

IKnowHow
IKnowHow will be WP leader for WP2 and have a clear responsibility in the software, in order to integrate the information coming from the validation tools subsystems as well as TEC systems.

TWI
TWI - UK as leader of the foundation project TidalSense will act as link between the results of that project and the sound development of TidalSense Demo project, it will support the data interpretation and it will be WP1 leader.

KTU
KTU having had when the Tidalsense project starts a very close liaise with TWI in the modelling of the ultrasonics and the system design, will support the data interpretation and adaptation of the system to new composite elements.

Cereteth
Cereteth will be involved in software and sensors array development for defect recognition, delivering key technical input for the demonstration activities.

University of Cádiz
UCA will support not only in the activities related to determine the typical conditions for installations of the equipment, but also will be responsible of evaluating the effects of the potencial acoustic emissions on marine life, with the support of

Fraunhofer-IWES
IWES, and will support the interpretation of current data. IWES will be involved in the estimation of acoustic emissions as input to UCA, and also support the works related to alternative condition monitoring systems in WP2 and WP4. IWES will act as link to the research infrastructure project MaRINet recently started.

Nautricity and AquaEnergy Solutiions
Nautricity and AES are fundamental for the success of the project as they will fulfill the role of potential “early adopters” of the novel technology demonstrated will study the applicability of the Tidalsense system to their respective tidal energy devices and will be the main actors in the assembly of the system in the second sea Demo.