Roxtec delivers seals for Orbital’s O2 tidal turbine

Roxtec has supplied a range of cable sealing solutions to Orbital Marine Power to support the construction of the 2MW O2 tidal turbine.

The sealing solutions provided by Roxtec will help protect the turbine’s control systems and ensure operational reliability of the O2, said Richard Keith, Marine and Offshore Market Manager for Roxtec in Scotland.

Roxtec transits are being used to create dustproof and watertight seals where electrical control and instrumentation cables pass through compartments in the turbine’s hull, and between its nacelles and pitching hubs.

Orbital’s team used the web-based Roxtec Transit Designer to save time during the project’s planning and installation phases. The online software allowed Orbital’s designers to produce detailed drawings of cable and pipe transit locations within the O2 tidal turbine.

Keith said: “Roxtec seals helped ensure the safe and reliable operation of the SR2000 and we are delighted to be working with the team at Orbital once again to support the development of world-leading tidal technology.

“Our cable transits are capable of withstanding exactly the kind of harsh marine environment that the O2 turbine will face off the coast of Orkney. The system is designed for cost efficiency, enabling multiple cables of varying sizes to be sealed quickly and easily, with the need for fewer openings. This flexible design not only speeds up the installation process but ensures future upgrades and maintenance work will be time and cost effective“.

Orbital Marine’s O2 turbine is nearing completion at TEXO Group’s manufacturing facility in Dundee and will enter operation this spring at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) off the coast of Orkney.

The O2 will be towed from Dundee to Orkney in the coming weeks before being anchored at EMEC’s site in the Fall of Warness where tidal speeds can exceed 3m/s.

Once operational it will become the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, capable of providing enough clean and sustainable electricity to power more than 1,700 UK homes every year.