Mechanical Engineering, bridge bearings, structural engineering Specialists In Structural Movement Control
Mechanical Engineers Specialising In Structural Movement Control
Supplied: Design, manufacture and installation of the world’s largest blade fatigue test rig.
Offshore Wind Turbine Blade Test Rig
Within the renewables sector for wind energy, Ekspan provide bespoke installation for various wind turbine blade test rigs, component parts, upgrades, maintenance and all associated mechanical engineering requirements.
Our Client, one of the world leaders in the Offshore Wind industry, is one of the largest global manufacturers and installers of wind turbines - they have installed over 49,000 turbines in over 70 countries across 6 continents.
Having worked with our Client for the past 10 years their trust in the skill and expertise of our structural engineers, and in the delivery of quality workmanship, resulted in Ekspan being awarded the contract to build and install the world’s largest blade fatigue test rig. The rig will be used to test some of the largest offshore wind turbines ever to be constructed. The blades, each spaning 80 meters in length (equivalent to the length of nine double-decker buses), undergo critical extensive testing regimes to test the strength and reliability of each blade to its destruction point.
Job Brief
Background Information
Project Team
Client: One of the world leaders in wind turbines
Start Date: 2009
Completion Date: September 2013
The blade test rig was designed and its component parts produced in Sheffield - all fabricated parts were delivered to the Isle of Wight test site for final build and installation.
This huge installation process was carried out in multiple stages with involvement from various sub-contractors all working to tight deadlines. Works for this project included temporary works for delivery and off-loading of component parts to site, erection of scaffolding, welding procedures with subsequent NDT testing and final shot blasting and painting of completed structure.
One of the most significant challenges faced on this project, due to the enormity of the rig, was the transportation from the inland factory to site. The size of the fabricated parts were too big to drive on UK roads and too high to go under any bridges. Strategic concept planning was required for handling the rig during its journey, where individual component parts weighing up to 120 tonnes - dimensions of 8m x 8m x 6m, had to be floated from Hull to the Isle of Wight. On site a temporary propping system was devised to enable installation and assembly as restricted access prevented the use of mobile cranes.
All operations had to be approved before final execution and follow a rigid schedule - therefore precision co-ordination was critical to the successful completion of the project.
Ekspan's Solution
