Focus

The V60/80 full swivel offshore single blade yoke (V60/80 blade yoke) researched and developed by Goldwind was successfully applied to the GW184-6.45MW installation in an offshore project in China early this year. For the first time service, the V60/80 blade yoke blade yoke challenged the longest 90m blade in China. As a result the whole installation period was significantly shortened by one day. It has provided an efficient, safe, convenient and innovative solution for the installation of large offshore wind turbines.

High Efficiency

The V60/80 blade yoke includes main girder clamp, variable pitch, mobile suspender, central rotating structure, automatic guy cable system and container assembly. It enables the rotation at any angle in air after the blade is clamped and the connection with the hub, breaks free from barring gear, and significantly reduces the time for installation and commissioning of the barring gear during construction, thus increasing the installation efficiency. For the project using V60/80 blade yoke, the 90m length blade was connected with the hub in one hour and three blades were installed successfully within a day. Compared with the traditional method, the installation time was reduced by one day.

Strong Adaptability

The V60/80 blade yoke increased the average wind speed at the installation window from 8m/s to 12m/s, and the maximum gust speed can reach to 16m/s. Take the offshore area near China’s Jiangsu province as an example, the use of V60/80 blade yoke can add about 90 days to the average annual operation window, making the blade’s lifting substantially less dependent on weather conditions.

During this installation, V60/80 blade yoke has enabled the 30 degree obliquely inserted installation of the 90m blade, with the required hoisting height being merely 18.5m over the hub center. It requires at least a lower height of 5m compared to other blade yoke under the same installation conditions.

The optimized design layout has effectively reduced the required hoisting height and width during the installation of blades. It has further facilitated the installation on vessels, expanded the selection range of installation vessels and significantly increased the installation capability.

Safety Assurance

The V60/80 blade yoke features remote monitoring, diagnosis, and alarm, also, the trouble detection with acousto-optic video system, and is available for interactive operation through tablet interface and handles, significantly increasing the stability and safety of the system. Its unique hydraulic drive and electric control dual-backup design ensure the safety of blades during rotation, through double mechanic lock-down with blade clamps and hydraulic lock-down, forming three layers of redundant protection.

Independent R&D and Design

The body of V60/80 blade yoke is made of high-strength alloy steel and customized solder wire, 10 tons lighter than other similar blade yokes. Featuring integrated design, it can achieve maximum installation of 46-ton blade, with reserved expansion ports. Meanwhile, the clamp is universal and does not need to be replaced to enable the installation of multiple models of blades.

During the R&D process, the V60/80 blade yoke has been granted more than 20 patents for invention and 5 patents for utility models, with independent intellectual property rights.