The HELIX project has kick-started on July 2022, with the aim to provide lower cost (up to 20% reduction), high corrosion resistant (a minimum of 25 service years), high strength steel (10.9 and 12.9 grades) and high diameter (≥ M64) fasteners to the offshore wind industry to support the ever-increasing size of wind turbines, leading to higher productivity.
HELIX will use advanced characterisation and traditional techniques under both atmospheric and immersion conditions to advance in the knowledge of hydrogen absorption in high strength steels under cathodic protection and in atmospheric conditions.
This knowledge will not only allow tailoring the steel and coating microstructure to achieve both excellent corrosion protection ability and low risk of hydrogen embrittlement, but also influence on policy and practice in the offshore wind sector.
HELIX will also identify the mechanisms of hydrogen absorption/desorption of the optimised steels, as well as develop coatings based on zinc flakes and different topcoat materials to protect the steel and to reduce hydrogen entry in service.
The consortium of this project is formed by 6 partners from 4 different European countries: Eurecat (coordinator), SIDENOR (Spain), Institut de la Corrosion (France), PEINER Umformtechnik, Dörken (Germany) and the University of Chemistry and Technology of Prague (Czech Republic).