TECNALIA – HarshLab
TA48 – TECNALIA-HarshLab
Location
Astondo bidea. Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia. Edificio 700
48160 Derio, Spain
Description
HarshLab is a unique offshore floating laboratory moored at the Biscay Marine Platform (BiMEP) in 2018, 1.6 miles off the Basque coast in the Bay of Biscay (Spain). It is moored in a 65 m depth unsheltered, open sea area, exposed to the strongest swells coming from the North Atlantic. HarshLab is 8.5 m in diameter, 7 m high, with a 120 m2 deck and a total weight of 120 tonnes and is capable of conducting research on anticorrosion and antifouling coatings and materials in atmospheric, splash and immersion zones, supported by a small Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The lower part of the hull is equipped with two available 755 mm connectors for umbilical cable testing, and the HarshLab will be connected to Bimep’s 690 V/160 kVA subsea grid by the end of 2024. This will provide virtually unlimited power supply and communications.
Sensing and modelling of floating structures is in high demand by our customers and partners, including the validation of umbilical cables, behaviour of PV panels for floating industry, validation of sensors and strain gauges, etc. HarshLab is a truly cross-cutting and flexible infrastructure where research from both European (MARINET2, NEMMO, NEWSKIN, MAXBLADE, etc.) and private multidisciplinary projects has been carried out since 2018. Meteoceanic reports are provided for each access including data from the HarshLab meteorological station and external sources (oceanographic buoys and meteorological stations nearby).
TECNALIA’s capabilities are complemented by a fully equipped inland corrosion laboratory, including salt spray test, cyclic test, Kesternich test, climatic chambers, condensation testing (humidity), accelerated weathering test (UV condensation), immersion and alternating immersion test, etc., while the results can be analysed by coatings characterisation tests (flexibility, tensile strength and elongation, film thickness, colour and gloss measurements, film hardness, film adhesion), EIS, cathodic disbandment tests, FTIR, impact test, abrasion test, and chemical resistance.
Due to BIMEP’s safety requirements, only Global Wind Organisation (GWO)-certified researchers are allowed to work onboard. TECNALIA has already trained a multidisciplinary team of researchers capable of accessing and operating in the HarshLab. More than 6 years of offshore research have given us with the necessary expertise to make the needed decisions, install customer’s prototypes onboard, liaise with local boat services and with Bimep personnel.
TECNALIA is the largest centre of applied research and technological development in Spain, a benchmark in Europe and a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. It collaborates with companies and institutions to improve their competitiveness, people's quality of life and achieve sustainable growth. It does this thanks to a team of more than 1,500 people (44% women – 56% men) who are passionate about technology and committed to building a better society. It is main scopes of action are:
- Smart manufacturing
- Digital transformation
- Energy transition
- Sustainable mobility
- Health and food
- Urban ecosystem
- Circular economy
Testing Capabilities
HarshLab is the optimum offshore laboratory for performing anticorrosion, antifouling, ageing testing of materials and equipment in real offshore environment. This includes not only novel coatings or new materials, but also sensors or any other device designed to operate in harsh offshore conditions. For example, the connectors in the hull pave the way for the validation of innovative connection systems of risers, connectors and umbilical cables in real offshore conditions. Being a floating structure floating in open sea is a key feature for understanding the behaviour and the work conditions that energy from most offshore energy devices will have to withstand, including heavy winds, waves and dynamics behaviour of the structures. The three catenaries that keep the laboratory fixed to the seabed also pose a great opportunity for testing mooring solutions.
TECNALIA’s onshore material testing facilities for characterisation of the results include a fully equipped corrosion lab, including salt spray test, cyclic testing, Kesternich test, climatic chambers, condensation testing (humidity), accelerated weathering test (UV Condensation), immersion and alternate immersion test, etc., whereas results can be analysed by characterization tests of coatings (flexibility, tensile strength and elongation, film thickness, colour and gloss measurements, film hardness, film adhesion), EIS, cathodic disbandment tests, FTIR, impact test, abrasion test, chemical resistance.
Technical Equipment
- Onboard meteorological station
- Nearby oceanographic buoy
- Communications
- Power supply
- Onshore characterisation laboratory
- Onshore ageing laboratory
Additional information
Technology Readiness Level: 4-6
Special considerations: N/A
Technology clusters: Materials for Energy, Ocean Energy, Offshore Wind, PV
Website: http://www.harshlab.eu/en
Availability: All year
Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way: No
