Corrosion is a silent threat that poses significant challenges to industries where steel and water intersect. It not only leads to expensive repairs but also impacts safety and the environment. In light of this, the SOCORRO project, led by the Antwerp Maritime Academy and in collaboration with partners like Sirris, KUleuven, and UGent, has emerged as a game-changer in corrosion management. This digital initiative has the potential to revolutionize how we approach this age-old issue by harnessing the power of data and artificial intelligence.
Why is SOCORRO Relevant?
Corrosion management has traditionally relied on periodic inspections of assets to catch issues before they become critical. However, these reactive approaches are costly and not always effective. SOCORRO introduces a proactive shift in the mindset of corrosion management. By collecting real-time data and combining it with AI, SOCORRO enables the prediction of corrosion risks in assets. The goal is to take preventive actions earlier, extend the life of assets, and make corrosion management more efficient.
The SOCORRO Approach
The SOCORRO project focused on three key steps:
- Data Collection:Real-time data is gathered from exposed steel using sensors.
- Improved insight:The project improved the understanding of corrosion in various environments.
- AI Algorithms: The heart of SOCORRO lies in the developed AI algorithms to calculate corrosion risks based on environmental parameters.
Offshare: The Cornerstone of Success
Offshare is a powerful, in-house developed management software platform that plays a pivotal role in the SOCORRO project. It acts as the interface for collecting, managing, and visualizing data related to corrosion and environmental parameters. Offshare provides a structured framework to ensure that all data is organized, easily accessible, and securely stored.
Here's how Offshare contributes to the success of the SOCORRO project:
- Data Storage and Visualization: Offshare allows data to be organized according to specific assets and monitored parameters. This structured approach ensures data accuracy, prevents miscommunications, and allows users and decision makers to easily compare and see differences between assets.
- Real-time Monitoring: With Offshare, users can easily monitor assets, compare data, and set thresholds for corrosion risk. When thresholds are crossed, automated alarms are generated and the right people can be warned automatically.
- Automated Work Orders: When corrosion risk alarms are triggered, Offshare is capable of generating work orders, allocating resources, and creating equipment lists. This helps in planning preventive maintenance and inspections.
- Long-term Data Tracking: For assets with a long lifespan, like offshore wind turbines, keeping track of data over decades is crucial. Offshare ensures data availability and facilitates comparisons across assets.
The Future of Corrosion Management
The Future of Corrosion Management is date-driven. By harnessing the potential of data and AI, industries can proactively address corrosion issues, reduce costs, and ensure the safety and longevity of their assets. In order to have the necessary data for life-extensions in 20-25 years from now, data needs to be collected and stored in a structured way starting today. This does not necessarily require the addition of new sensors, although useful on a limited number of fleet leaders, as existing ICCP data, water quality parameters and inspection data can already yield important insights when accessible in a structured way. The Offshare management platform provides a way to do this, as illustrated by the SOCORRO project.
More info?
