Sarens’ LR 11000 erects turbines at Dutch wind farm

Belgium-based heavy lift and transport specialist Sarens recently took delivery of a new Liebherr LR 11000 crawler crane, and for its first job the new 1,000 tonne crane is erecting Enercon E-136 EP5 wind turbines with a hub height of 155 metres. The new crane is working at the Oostpolder wind farm, to the south of the Dutch port of Eemshaven. 

The LR 11000 was rigged with the SL10DF2BV wind power boom system, VarioTray and V-Frame, which makes it possible to erect the 4.65 MW wind turbines. The heaviest component of the turbine is its generator, which weighs 120 tonnes and has to be installed on a tower around 155 metres in height.

Pascal van der Spoel, Sarens project manager, said the company chose the LR 11000 because of its flexible derrick system with VarioTray and V-frame.

“Its boom length and capacity are ideal for the projects we have scheduled,” said van der Spoel.

The first job for Sarens’ new Liebherr LR 11000 is erecting 4.65 MW wind turbines with a hub height of 155 metres at the Oostpolder wind farm

The special SL10DF2BV wind power boom system on the LR 11000 delivers maximum lifting capacities for the economical erection of the very latest generation of wind turbines with hub heights of up to 180 metres, according to Liebherr.

“For these turbines, the LR 11000 reaches a hook height of 192 metres and can hoist an impressive 110 tonnes,” Liebherr said. “At the Oostpolder wind farm, Sarens assembled the new 1,000 tonne crane with a 162 metre main boom and 12 metre fixed jib. This configuration enables the crane to hoist up to 156 tonnes with hook heights of up to 174 metres.”

The VarioTray detachable ballast pallet enables crane jobs to be completed more  economically – after raising the lattice boom with the large derrick ballast, part of the ballast can be unbolted quickly and easily, Liebherr said.

Only a small proportion of the ballast is generally required for hoisting work with the boom fully or almost fully raised. This avoids the need for the  stacking and unstacking of ballast slabs. The new V-frame ballasting system is used for the suspended ballast – a hydraulically adjustable frame enables the ballast radius to be adjusted to up to 30 metres. This means that a rigid ballast guide is no longer required for large radii.