Wind power has in recent years established itself as a forward-looking means of energy production.
Wind power has in recent years established itself as a forward-looking means of energy production.
Construction and operation of conventionalland-based installations is already suffering from lack of adequate spaces. Sea-based plants are therefore bound to gain importance in the future.
The first German near-shore wind-power project was put into service by ENOVAa company concerned with designing and planning such installations. The dimensions of this plant are indeed enormous: The height of the hub is 108mrotor blades are 53m in lengthand the weight of the steel tower is 850tonnes. The Terex-Demag CC8800 crawler craneproviding a lifting capacity of up to 1250tonnes and boom lengths of up to 216m was ideally suited for the task.
For the assemblyengineers in charge trusted the experience and ability of Belgium based crane operators Sarens who are the only European company to have – since the beginning of the year – a Terex-Demag CC8800 in their fleet. The machine proved successful on missions in Norway and South America.
Apart from the sheer dimensionsthe location in the middle of the Ems River constituted a challenge. The crane and all power plant components had to be loaded onto a pontoon in order to complete the assembly. The tower components were completed first; subsequently the plant’s engine carriergeneratorhub and rotor blades were mounted at height.
The crane was configured SSL/LSL at a system length of 138m. The Superlift counterweight of 400tonnes complemented the 100tonne central weight at height and the 220tonne counterweight.
The first lift of this kind generated important experiences for the assembly of further offshore plants. Terex-Demag’s CC8800 crawler crane could not only convince by its lifting capacity; againthe machine was able to demonstrate highest level of precision in carrying out work with extremely heavy loads. Thereforewith 92 plants projected in the North Seathe Terex-Demag CC8800 will play an important role in the future.
Terex-Demag GmbH & Co KG is based in ZweibrückenGermany.
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