In the beginning of 2017, Artidor was approached by the Bird Control Group with a request to make a time lapse camera suitable for offshore use. The camera was to be used to record the activity of birds and the associated contamination of the helicopter platform over an extended period of time. An additional challenge was that the battery capacity of the camera was inadequate to span the desired six to nine months. The helideck is classified as zone 2.
To create an explosion-safe solution, a “restrictive breathing” housing according to EN 60079-15:2010 was used. This housing could be used because the camera does not produce sparks or heat in normal operation. To increase the gas tightness, the impact-resistant polycarbonate window was fixed in the housing and the tap holes for the cable glands were hermetically sealed with a blind plug and synthetic resin. The housing is also provided with an extra casing (sun shroud) to reduce heating of the housing caused by direct sunlight. With this, the “breathing” of the housing was reduced as much as possible.
To make the camera usable for a longer period, a pack with non-chargeable batteries located outside the camera was used. The existing camera housing was modified and the electronics were connected to the battery pack with a cable. The explosion safety of the battery pack was guaranteed by using the protection method Ex m “molding”. This also increases the lifespan in the salty air of the offshore environment.
The Bird Control Group is a very innovative company that specializes in developing equipment with which birds can be chased away in an animal-friendly but effective way. The patented system has now been used for a long time in agriculture, at airports and on landing platforms for helicopters on drilling platforms with great success.
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