Tideland Warning Technology for Offshore Met Masts
Tideland Signal has launched a comprehensive integrated package of warning systems specifically designed to mark meteorological masts in offshore windfarms.
The complete package includes both aids to navigation (AtoN) to warn shipping in the vicinity and also aircraft obstruction lights (AOL), all compliant with the relevant IALA (International Association of Lighthouse Authorities) and the UK's DECC standards (Department of Energy & Climate Change). As the leading OEM in its field, Tideland is also able to offer consultancy services, commissioning, training and applications engineering for specific user requirements. In addition, all equipment can be configured for solar power operation using photovoltaic panels and batteries engineered by Tideland's subsidiary Tideland Power Systems.
The main AtoN items in the package are Tideland's benchmark SeaBeacon 2 System 6 radar beacon, AB-560 fog signal, fog detector, Tideland Informer AIS broadcasting information to shipping and the latest generation LED marine lantern, Nova-250 which projects a 360 degree, high-intensity horizontal beam over a range of more than 15 NM at a transmissivity factor of 0.74.
The smaller Nova-65 may be used when ranges below 10NM are specified. Manufactured from a marine grade of rugged, corrosion-resistant housing, these new lanterns combine low-maintenance, high reliability, advanced optics, power-conditioning circuitry and high-intensity LEDs, making them highly suitable for solar power operation. If required, an AtoN panel with back-up batteries and volt-free contacts for SCADA may also be included.
SeaBeacon 2 System 6 is the racon most widely specified by name across the world due not only to its technical capability but also to the exceptional reliability and minimal maintenance requirements enhanced by the design's inert gas protection system. Standard features include side-lobe suppression, proportional scaling and normal traffic power consumption of only 0.75W, with a heavy traffic maximum of only 1.06W. The Tideland design also offers a high sensitivity of -50dBm in both X- and S-Band, meaning that the units will respond better to weaker interrogation from lower-power radars – or to radars at greater distances/ranges.
The AOL elements of the package typically include a medium intensity beacon mounted at the top of the mast and low-intensity red lights, as necessary for the height of the tower, with a control panel and photocell at the bottom. The GPS antenna and Tideland's type-approved Informer series AIS AtoN (Type 1 or Type 3) are also mounted at this level. The Informer unit broadcasts the position of the mast on which it is located and its status.
Maritime traffic in the vicinity of the asset may also be monitored using the highly flexible Tideland AIS Viewer, TSD, on to which reporting lines and virtual exclusion zones can be easily configured. As well as tracking all AIS fitted vessels, this also features a high-capacity recording database using the Tideland NavTerm system allowing easy access for historical, revenue or security purposes.
tidelandsignal.com
