Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has introduced a new crane that it claims makes wind farm maintenance easier compared to traditional methods.
The Vestas Tower Crane (VTC) is attached directly to the mast of 3MW turbines and climbed to the summit where it can lift and replace all major wind turbine components, including blades, hubs, gearboxes and generators.
It can lift weights up to 30t, and can work on tapered mast designs, where the tower is narrower in diameter at the neck then at the base. It can be used for onshore and offshore work.
Vestas said being attached directly to the mast makes operation easier as the crane moves in tandem with the tower during high winds. The VTC crane can work in wind speeds up to 17m/second and can be left attached in wind speeds up to 28m/second.
Jesper Stærke Rosengren, one of the engineers involved in the crane’s design, said normal cranes involved in the maintenance of wind farms, such as crawlers and mobiles, are better suited to working in clement weather and have to be dismantled when wind speeds reach 10-12m/second and re-erected when conditions improve.
For more information please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net
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