Liebherr crawler crane repowers wind farm

Austrian-based Felbermayr’s new Liebherr LR 11000 crawler crane has been working in Burgenland, Austria, on repowering an existing wind farm. Old, small wind turbines on fields on the border with Slovakia are being dismantled to make way for more modern systems.

The heaviest components are the stator and rotor

The 1000 tonne crane, which will install ten new 138 metre wide turbines, features a 168 metre lattice boom, a derrick boom and an F2 jib, which the company said is ideal for wind farm erection work as it is 15 metres long and slightly angled. It can install the topmost components of the wind turbines safely with enough space to manoeuvre the various pieces at a height of 160 metres.

The heaviest components, and therefore the largest load cases for the LR 11000, are the stator and rotor. Installing these parts put a gross load of around 88 tonnes on the crane hook.

A total of 380 tonnes of central, suspended and slewing platform ballast ensure that the crawler crane has adequate stability when handling the loads. A further 450 tonnes of ballast is available on site but this reserve is only required to raise and lower the lattice boom and can be pinned to the suspended ballast pallet in a few minutes.

Working with the weather

The crane assembly team can erect a wind turbine on the existing 85 metre tower in around four days

When the weather permits, the crane assembly team can erect a wind turbine on the existing 85 metre tower in around four days.

The LR 11000 is then dismantled and transported to the next site in the wind farm.

The LR 11000 was supplied with the VarioTray detachable suspended ballast and the V-Frame hydraulically adjustable folding frame.

Power boom

One of the very first of these cranes to be made was delivered to Felbermayr in summer 2014.

In addition, the double power boom, which boosts lifting capacity, was also installed for the very first time on a blue LR 11000 operated by the Austrian company.

At the time, a nacelle around 200 tonnes was hanging on the hook and the crawler crane managed to install what at the time was one of the largest rotor stars in the world with a diameter of 152 metres in a single hoist.