Vestas approves wind blade transport system for manufacturers

Following the success of a trial loading operation performed in Denmark in mid-July, Germany-based Doll’s wind blade transport system has been certified by Vestas.

The system’s list of approvals now extends to every major turbine manufacturer.

The wind blade transport system offers mechanical or hydraulic lifting adapters with replaceable mounts for the root frame, a self-steering trailer with hydraulic steering and Doll Vario axle technology, plus special bolsters for accommodating the wing tips.

The lifting adapters are mounted on the traction unit or an additional dolly, depending on the weight of the wind blade, and the swap bodies for the special bolsters can be adapted to various TIP frames.

Rolf Gerhardt, senior product manager at Doll Fahrzeugbau said, “Our system has now received approval from every major turbine manufacturer. This will make it much easier for our customers to plan their projects, even if they are working with a range of different clients and tendering processes.”

Biggest jobs
“One of the biggest jobs in this case was designing a pendulum frame for accommodating a Vestas hydraulic friction clamp. The frame compensates for the forces and torsional moments that the wing tip is exposed to during transport,” explained Gerhardt. The other adapter parts, used for a range of mechanical, hydraulic and electronic interfaces, can be assembled in the self-steering trailer combination easily and quickly.

A single Doll transport system is able to accommodate wind blades from every major manufacturer – all it needs are the specific attachment parts and adapters. Doll’s self-steering trailer system is approved for transporting the following blades and rotor blades:

• Enercon: E138, E147 (LM71.8), E160 (LM78.3)
• General Electric: WT19 (LM77.4)
• Nordex: NR65.5, NR74.5, NR77.5, NR81.5
• Siemens Gamesa: SG155, SG170
• Vestas: EnVentus V150, EnVentus V162

31 tonnes
The system is suitable for rotor blades of up to 31 tonnes in weight and 100 metres in length. The lifting adapters for accommodating root frames are dimensioned for fifth-wheel loads of up to 30 tonnes, with a combined pivot/rocker bearing system ensuring that the rotor blade and rocker bearing rock uniformly over the pivot point on the traction unit. As a result, no torsional moments arise and transportation remains safe, even when the load has a high centre of gravity.

There is extensive clearance between the towing vehicle and self-steering trailer

Extensive clearance between the towing vehicle and self-steering trailer (without low telescopic beams of the kind found on semi low-loaders) allows for crossing over crash barriers and avoiding other obstacles.