InnoVent to implement Nabrawind’s BladeRunner for 3MW turbines
The crane less blade installation and de-installation system will be available for blade maintenance and substitution in France, Sweden and Morocco
The French developer InnoVent will implement Nabrawind’s BladeRunner crane-less blade installation and de-installation system for its 3MW wind turbines. The BladeRunner will specifically carry out manoeuvres for the WWD3, meaning the system will operate blades up to 12 tones and 50 meters long. The agreement between both companies states that the BladeRunner will be operational at the end of this summer.
This arrangement reaffirms InnoVent commitment to the system developed by Nabrawind. In fact, both companies successfully performed the validation manoeuvre of the BladeRunner late last year in a wind farm owned by the French developer in Bignan (France).
Ion Arocena, BladeRunner Program Manager, reveals that this BladeRunner will operate “blades four times heavier” than the manoeuvrer performed in Bignan. In this sense, Arocena highlights the “adaptability” of the BladeRunner to “all the blades of the market”.
For his part, Gregoire Verhaeghe, CEO of Innovent, pointed out the satisfaction with the “independence from the crane availability that BladeRunner will bring in our maintenance and blade replacement maneuvers.”
About BladeRunner
BladeRunner is a blade installation and de-installation system developed and patented by Nabrawind that reduces the cost of blade replacement by 70% compared to maintenance operations carried out with cranes.
The system is based on the installation of small equipment on the hub of the wind turbine, which is used to directly manipulate the blade, which ascends and descends in a vertical position. The system is connected directly to the inserts or T-Bolts of the blade root, which avoids exerting force on its aerodynamic surface, eliminating the risk of cracks appearing in the handling area, which are becoming increasingly critical as the blades grow in weight and size.
Apart from the drastic cost reduction, there are many other advantages that were confirmed during the maneuver performed by the Spanish companies. Firstly, the BladeRunner is a highly efficient system as it can replace a blade (uninstalling and reinstalling) in just one day. Additionally, the installation of the system into the wind turbine only takes one day. The same amount of time needed for the demobilization.
Secondly, the logistics are reduced as all the system is extremely light and can be transported in a van. Finally, the system’s operation is simple and only a four people team is required to develop the maneuver.