Offshore Wind Cable Protection System Assessments
Project Overview
PDL supports offshore wind developers, installers and equipment manufacturers in assessing the integrity and long-term performance of subsea power cables and Cable Protection Systems (CPS) used on fixed offshore wind farms. These systems play a critical role in protecting export and inter-array cables as they transition between the seabed and turbine foundations, where environmental loading and structural demands are at their highest. Using advanced dynamic analysis techniques, PDL evaluates cable and CPS behaviour under realistic operating conditions, helping clients optimise designs, reduce risk and maximise asset life before installation and throughout operational service.
Our Solution
Our engineers deployed a comprehensive suite of simulation tools, including ANSYS Mechanical for structural analysis and ANSYS Fluent for thermal-fluid interaction. We developed a detailed 3D model of the component, applying realistic boundary conditions and material properties. Key aspects of our solution included:
Material Characterization : Incorporating advanced material models to accurately represent behavior under irradiation and high temperatures
Topology Optimization : Identifying optimal material distribution to reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Thermal-Structural Coupling : Simulating the interaction between temperature fields and structural deformation.
Fatigue Life Prediction : Performing high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue analysis to predict component lifespan.
PDL's assessments provide clients with a clear understanding of the movement, loading and fatigue performance of critical cable systems, enabling informed engineering decisions throughout the project lifecycle. By identifying potential issues early, clients can optimise cable geometries, CPS arrangements and protection strategies before manufacture, reducing project risk and avoiding costly modifications during installation or operation. For operational wind farms, the analyses support life-extension studies, remedial design development and maintenance planning by quantifying the impact of damaged or degraded components. The result is improved asset reliability, greater confidence in long-term performance and reduced whole-life project costs through better-informed engineering decisions.
Client: Various
Sector: Renewable Energy
Service Provided: Global Dynamic Analysis, OrcaFlex, Fatigue Assessment, Cable & CPS Design Verification
Challenge: Predicting cable and CPS behaviour under complex offshore environmental loading and ensuring long-term integrity
Outcome: Optimised cable protection solutions, improved asset reliability and enhanced confidence in long-term performance
