Specialist blade handling equipment can represent a significant investment. But what if a contractor only needs it for a handful of turbines?
With repowering, major repairs and component replacement adding to new installation work, ematec sees rental and adaptable equipment as one way of giving service providers access to specialist technology when they actually need it.
Adapting to different blades
Single-blade installation becomes more complex as blade size and weight increase. Blade geometry, weight distribution and centre of gravity all affect how the load behaves during positioning.
ematec’s RBC-D rotor blade yoke uses an adaptive gripping system and is currently rated for blades weighing up to 50 tonnes. Two counterweights compensate for the blade’s centre of gravity, while the system can tilt by up to 30 degrees in either direction and accommodate blade pitching of up to 8 degrees.
For contractors working across several turbine types, adaptable equipment can reduce the need for separate lifting configurations.
Monitoring the load
Control is particularly important during the final stages of installation. If the crane hook is not vertically aligned with the suspended load, side pull can occur.
ematec’s Diagonal Pull Sensor (DPS) monitors angular deviation on two axes and transmits measurements wirelessly to a ground unit and tablet.
The system is intended to give crane operators real-time information about the load position, providing another reference when deciding whether lifting equipment can be safely released rather than relying on visual judgement alone.
Working with difficult sites
Site conditions can also determine which installation method is practical.
At the Taubenkopf wind farm near Freiburg, steep and forested terrain restricted the available installation area. According to ematec, the RBC-D and APS combination was used because conventional methods were unsuitable for the site.
ematec also says the combination can support blade installation at wind speeds of up to 10 m/s, compared with around 8 m/s for the conventional methods referenced by the company. Project-specific weather assessments and operational controls remain necessary.
Supporting repair and repowering
Blade-handling requirements continue after commissioning. A blade turning device can rotate a blade around its longitudinal axis while it is on the ground, giving technicians access to different areas without repeatedly repositioning it using conventional lifting equipment.
Where site conditions allow, this can enable repair work to remain onsite and reduce additional transport and handling.
As repowering and life extension activity increases, contractors may need specialised equipment for shorter, more varied campaigns. Rental, adaptive gripping, load monitoring and positioning systems offer different ways to meet those requirements without permanent ownership.
For service providers, the priority is increasingly having suitable technology available when and where a project requires it, rather than simply investing in the most capable equipment.
Read more in the complete PES Wind feature: https://pes.eu.com/exclusive-articles/a-more-flexible-approach-to-single-blade-installation