GustoMSC and NOV Lifting and Handling announced Tuesday that they have developed a solution to improve the efficiency of installing offshore wind blades.
The companies said the blades are very sensitive to wind loads, which is why they currently take the most time to install.
The solution is named after Sjøhe – Norwegian for “sea horse”. The companies added that just as the unique, strong-hold tail of the seahorse allows it to resist sea currents, the Sjhest connects to the tower, creating a smooth movement for the safe and efficient installation of the blade.
As the telescopic boom connects the Sjhest to the already installed tower, the boom connection is oriented in the direction of the movement of the tower.
According to the developers, this creates a smooth movement between blade and tower. “After the blade is attached to the carriage, it is transported horizontally up the guide support, rotated to a vertical position, and attached to the rotor.”
Large lifting vessels have a relatively high daily speed; therefore, extended installation time or downtime is costly and should be avoided as much as possible.
Sjhest offers an alternative installation method where larger installation crane vessels are equipped with heavy lifting cranes for installation towers and covers, while a separate Sjhest WBI crane vessel with integrated equipment. “Sjöhest’s installation method provides significant time savings, as all three turbine sites can be installed in one day,” the companies say. In addition, the companies said, Sjhest’s installation method allows the tower/nacelle and wing mobilization to be separated into separate ground centers.
“The current and future wings create a huge space requirement due to their size. In addition, the platform blades have much smaller loads than the towers and hoods. “The mobilization distribution creates much greater flexibility for the mobilization site and benefits the entire logistics process,” added the companies.
