Marine Icing

The rationale for this project is the lack of adequate tools and guidelines for safer operation in icing-prone waters. Knowledge of icing and the ability to forecast potential icing events in time and space will be important to secure safe operations. De velopment of improved and verified models and tools to assist in estimating and forecasting icing will give information that can be used in real time on board vessels, in design and in operational planning. Improved understanding and prediction of icing w ill contribute to reduced risks for accidents thus contributing to safeguarding life, environment and properties. The main efforts on data collection and modelling will be on sea spray icing. The approach for the atmospheric icing will be finally decided when results from the EU project COST 727 have been evaluated for offshore and maritime applications. The project will review and further develop ice-phobic coatings and materials and anti- and de-icing technologies. It is known by the industry that exist ing hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coatings suffer reduced effect in time. Use of nanoparticles and microparticles to the coating matrix will, in addition to surface patterning, also prevent leaching, and will consequently promote a durable hydrophobicit y which would be a major improvement with respect to existing systems. The goal is to propose/develope coatings with minimal environmental impact both in production and in use.