Project developers are deploying new cranes and advanced transportation to enable faster and safer completion of their projects. Suzlon India's wind power project at Agar in Madhya Pradesh, is one such site where the company is developing a 29.4 mw wind power project for Oil India. It will comprise 12 towers of 120-meter hub height, with plans for another 10 towers for adding up to 20 mw.
Rahul Patil, Site in Charge, informs that Suzlon India has hired Mumbai-based heavy lift specialist and rental agency Amrik Singh & Sons for the job that requires lifting the heavy tower sections, turbines, and blades. The heavy-duty job requires sturdy and reliable equipment, for which, Amrik Singh is using two units of Sany SCC 6500A, 650-ton lattice boom crawler cranes bought in 2017.
The main boom configuration has been kept at 126 meters + 12 meters fixed jib @ 15 degrees for erection of the nacelle and other tower sections. The counterweight has been kept at 200 tons; super lift counterweight at 150 tons for boom up; and derrick boom at 36 meters. Sixteen falls involving 28 mm ropes have been used for the derrick boom, and 6 falls in the main boom, with each fall of 16 tons. The hook weight is 150 tons.
Supported by the crane configuration, SCC 6500A is lifting four bottom steel fabricated sections of 47.6 tons each on the concrete foundation; 3 intermediate sections of 45.7 tons each, followed by erection of 2 intermediate sections, 19 tons each. One shell intermediate section weighing 37 tons is being placed on the 19-ton intermediate section, followed by the erection of another two intermediate shell sections of 29.1 tons each. The 80-ton nacelle (one of the heaviest in the world according to Suzlon) will be followed by erection of the intermediate sections. The crane will be lifting the 18-ton rotor hub of 97 meters dia and attaching blades weighing 8 tons and 47.5 meters in length. The working radius for nacelle erection has been kept at 19-20 meters, and 20-22 meters for the rotor hub erection, to be performed in a single lift.
Rahul Patil at Suzlon India, informs that very high safety parameters are being followed for the main and supporting cranes in the tower erection jobs. Suzlon has appointed a third party to carry out health, safety, and environmental checks on the cranes. A thorough inspection of the cranes is carried out to check the safe load indicators, alarm systems, and the ability of the cranes to perform optimally at the permissible wind speed, before a fit certificate is given for them. Only government-approved operators with a valid license are allowed to operate cranes at wind power sites.
