Three Gorges Group’s Subsea Robot Inspection Project for Offshore Wind Farms , Applying Our LARS System
Driven by the “Dual Carbon” goals, China’s offshore wind power industry is experiencing rapid development. However, compared to onshore wind farms, offshore wind power facilities are exposed to complex and harsh marine environments for extended periods. The inspection and maintenance of subsea structures have always posed significant technical challenges, high safety risks, and substantial costs. In December 2022, the research project “Research and Application Demonstration of Subsea Robot Operation and Maintenance Inspection Technology for Offshore Wind Farms,” undertaken by China Three Gorges Corporation Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “CTG Shanghai Institute”), successfully passed acceptance, marking a major step forward in China’s offshore wind power operation and maintenance inspection technology.
This project successfully achieved the first systematic application of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) technology in the operation and maintenance inspection of offshore wind farms in China, filling a technological gap in this field. Our company is honored to have provided the critical equipment—the ROV Launch and Recovery System (LARS)—ensuring the safe and efficient deployment and retrieval of the subsea robot.
Ⅰ. Project Background and Significance: Addressing the Pain Points of Offshore Wind Farm Operation and Maintenance
Subsea structures of offshore wind farms, including turbine foundations, submarine cables, and booster station platforms, are long-term affected by seawater corrosion, ocean current erosion, and marine fouling. Traditional methods relying on divers for operations not only involve extremely high risks but are also severely limited by weather and sea conditions, resulting in low efficiency. Subsea robots can replace manual operations, enabling all-weather, high-precision subsea inspections and minor maintenance tasks, significantly enhancing the safety and economic efficiency of operation and maintenance.
This project was demonstrated in real sea conditions at the Three Gorges New Energy Yangjiang Shapa Offshore Wind Farm. It conducted comprehensive inspections of monopiles, jacket structures, and submarine cable routes, as well as operations such as pile cleaning, terrain scanning, and 3D modeling, providing critical data support for the long-term safe and stable operation of the wind farm.
Ⅱ. Our LARS System: A High-Performance, Highly Reliable “Guardian” for Subsea Operations
As a critical component of the ROV subsea operation system, the Launch and Recovery System (LARS) directly impacts the success rate and safety of ROV deployment. Especially under harsh sea conditions, the stability and reliability of the system are paramount.
For this project, our company provided a compact ROV LARS system with the following core parameters and functions:
- Maximum Safe Working Load (SWL) of 10 kN, providing strong lifting capacity;
- Electric drive system, ensuring smooth operation, low noise, and easy maintenance;
- Intelligent control system based on PLC and touchscreen integration, equipped with proprietary control algorithms, supporting fully automatic one-touch deployment and retrieval;
- Active Heave Compensation (AHC) functionality, with wave compensation accuracy >95% and response time <100 ms, effectively mitigating impacts caused by vessel motion;
- Multiple safety mechanisms: Equipped with tension sensors, E-release, and cable status monitoring to ensure operational safety;
- Strong environmental adaptability: Protection rating IP56, corrosion protection grade C5-M, operating temperature range from -20°C to +65°C, with optional explosion-proof configuration, suitable for various harsh marine environments;
- Supports remote monitoring and data management, enabling real-time display of operational parameters and historical data review.
Ⅲ. Our Lars Core Advantages: Safeguarding Deep-Sea Operations
Our LARS system demonstrated outstanding performance in this project, with its core advantages primarily reflected in the following aspects:
- High Reliability: Designed for harsh sea conditions, it features excellent corrosion resistance, explosion-proof capabilities, and low-temperature endurance, ensuring long-term stable operation;
- High Level of Intelligence: Supports fully automated operation, constant tension control, and remote monitoring, significantly reducing operator workload and the risk of human error;
- Modular Design: The system structure is compact, facilitating transportation, installation, and maintenance, making it suitable for shipborne mobile platforms;
- Strong Expandability: Supports multiple communication interfaces and sensor integration, enabling seamless connectivity with ROV/TMS systems to adapt to diverse operational needs.
Ⅳ. Collaborating to Advance the Intelligent Development of Offshore Wind Farm Operation and Maintenance
The successful acceptance of this project not only represents a significant breakthrough for the Three Gorges Group in the field of offshore wind farm operation and maintenance but also serves as a model of deep integration among industry, academia, research, and application. Our company is honored to have supported this project with our high-performance LARS system, witnessing the transformation of China’s offshore wind power operation and maintenance technology from “manned” to “unmanned” and from “extensive” to “precision.”
