Biofouling Removal Using a Novel Electronic System for Driving an Array of High Power Marinised Transducers

Abstract

This paper explains producing a novel ultrasonic system to remove/prevent biofouling growth from wind turbines’ access ladders by means of producing local ultrasound cavitation. Using bespoke hardware, an array of high-power ultrasound transducers (HPUTS) and optimally synthesized signal types to remove/prevent biofouling growth from the ladder without violating the standard noise level in the sea is explained. This is a non-toxic and non-invasive solution to detach biofouling and prevent biofilm initiation on offshore structures. It is shown that the marinisation of the HPUT slightly shifts the main resonance frequency from 28.1 to 27.5 kHz. The vibration output from the HPUTs with different mounting systems showed that the transducer with the horn could vibrate the plate at 20 cm from the excitation point, with 300 pm, six times higher than the vibration output from the marinised HPUT. A transducer array and attachment are proposed to make the ultrasound noise below the standard underwater noise limits. The produced sound pressure level (SPL) and sound equivalent level (SEL) from the proposed ultrasonic system was measured. It was specified that the SPL came below 120 dB at 25 m from the excitation point and the SEL value below the 173 dB limit. Finally, the effectiveness of the marinised HPUTS on biofouling removal has been demonstrated with an in-situ measurement, and it was indicated that local biofouling removal could be achieved.