Crane power enables wind power in large turbine assembly

A Terex® CC 9800 lattice boom crawler crane (lifting capacity: 1,600 metric tonnes) builds powerful wind turbines at the Port of Hamburg. The crane can move extremely heavy, fully-assembled subassemblies with a single lifting operation, significantly reducing the time involved in erecting large turbines.

HAMBURG, Germany, September 17, 2009 – With its 6 MW output, Enercon's E-126 turbine is one of the most powerful wind turbines in the world, and the people of Hamburg had the opportunity to see this veritable giant being assembled in a cost-effective manner. The key? A Terex® CC 9800 lattice boom crawler crane, featuring a lifting capacity of 1,600 metric tonnes and a load moment of 26,930 mt. The outcome? Crane operator Enrico Wunderlich saves significant time and cost due to the CC9800's ability to reduce lifting operations involved in erecting  turbines. 

The crane operating company behind this show of strength is the Sarens Group, a heavy-lifting specialist from Belgium. The project was assigned by energy service provider Enercon, which is installing several E-126 wind turbines at the port facilities in Hamburg Altenwerder. 

Gigantic Dimensions Make Assembly Exciting

"The size of this turbine is already pretty exciting for the assembly team," says crane operator Wunderlich. "The sheer magnitude of it is way beyond anything that has ever been done before. After all, the generator's axle is at a height of 135 m and the rotor has a diameter of 127 m, meaning that the total height is just under 200 m!

"The complete upper part, with its turbine house, hub, and blades, weighs an impressive 650 metric tonnes. Going by parts, we are first lifting the nacelle, which has a weight of 128 metric tonnes...and then the generator adds 220 metric tonnes to the balance. And the biggest piece is the hub with the steel blades installed - that weighed a total of 303 metric tonnes. The thing is, we are now in a position to deal with these challenges very easily," concludes Wunderlich.

Optimized Crane Design for Gigantic Wind Turbines

The Terex® CC 9800 lattice boom crane has been optimized for lifting complete subassemblies of what are becoming increasingly larger and more powerful wind turbines (with outputs between 6 and 7 megawatts) to any height required.

With its 4-meter-wide main boom and an SSL/LSL + LF configuration, the CC 9800 can lift loads weighing over 300 metric tonnes to a hub height of just under 135 meters. In Hamburg, the Terex® CC 9800 was supported only by a Terex® CC 1500 that guided the third blade body for the first few meters.

A Cost-Effective Solution

"This is exactly the type of crane we need," says company manager and owner Hendrik Sarens. "The Terex® CC 9800 is the only crane that can handle the needs of today's wind power industry when it comes to erecting the largest turbines out there, and this makes it an extremely cost-effective solution for us as crane operators. Earlier on, we had to use two large cranes for a project of this magnitude, and the process involved lifting the generator and the rotor hub in several steps, which cost a lot of time and money."

"Another important aspect to take into account when you consider the fact that we operate on an international level is that there must be a way to transport the crane in a cost-effective manner. Just think about it: We're moving a machine with a tare weight of 1,800 metric tonnes from one place to another. And there is demand everywhere in the world. Terex® took this into account and optimized the crawler crane for cost-effective transportation."

The Terex® CC 9800 - The Newest Member of a Successful Product Family

The Terex® CC 9800 is based on the existing Terex® CC 8800-1 and uses the same machine components as the larger Terex® CC 8800-1 TWIN lattice boom crawler crane, which is one of the largest mobile cranes in the world with its lifting capacity of 3,200 metric tonnes.

Lifting Capacity and Load Moment

The unit's maximum load moment with 1,122 metric tonnes, a 24 m radius, and an 800 metric tonne Superlift counterweight is 26,930 mt. Meanwhile, its maximum main boom length when using an SSL/LSL configuration is 156 meters.

When using the typical configuration used for lifting wind turbines, the crane features a main boom of up to 144 meters and an 18-meter luffing fly jib that is tilted forward at an angle of 20° (SSL/LSL + LF). When equipped with a 132-meter main boom and an 18-meter extension, the machine features a lifting capacity of 375 metric tonnes and a hook height of 147 meters. For this particular job, the CC 9800 was assembled with an SSL/LSL 138 m + LF 18 m configuration, allowing it to lift 322 metric tonnes at a radius of 52 meters. The longest possible SWSL combination (luffing fly jib with Superlift) is 108 m + 120 m, resulting in a maximum hook height of 223 meters. 

Countless Possible Areas of Application

This crane model is also being used successfully in large infrastructure and power plant construction projects, but is not limited to these applications, as it also incorporates solutions for the needs of the petrochemical industry and power generating companies.

Efficient Assembly and Dismantling

Despite its incredibly large lifting capacities, the crane allows for remarkably cost-effective operation due to its extremely efficient assembly, dismantling, and transportation capabilities. Its widened boom gives the Terex® CC 9800 additional lifting capacity ­– a welcome increase in comparison to the Terex® CC 8800-1. Redundant drive units provide additional safety: If either of the two drive units fails, the other one assumes its place immediately. Overall efficiency can also be increased during operation with a single unit. Finally, the machine complies with all national and international regulations.

About Sarens

The Sarens Group is not only specialized in transport, but first and foremost in the handling of heavy goods, not only in the rental and use of cranes, but also in solving problems linked with crane work. This group has 60 branches, spread all over the world, with a yearly turnover reaching 370 mio EUR and 2,100 employees operating worldwide, builds its future on the foundations of a rich past. 

About Terex

Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer with 2008 net sales of $9.9 billion. Terex operates in four business segments: Terex Aerial Work Platforms, Terex Construction, Terex Cranes and Terex Materials Processing & Mining. Terex manufactures a broad range of equipment for use in various industries, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, and utility industries. Terex offers a complete line of financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of Terex equipment through Terex Financial Services. More information on Terex can be found at www.terex.com.