Wind Gust Buster for safer installation of turbines

The Huisman Wind Gust Buster assists crane operators and lifting supervisors when working with the installation of large objects at considerable height, by providing information on the incoming wind 360° around the boom tip. 

Measurement of the incoming wind is done by application of a LiDAR system on the crane’s boom tip, scanning the horizontal area. The measurement data is post-processed by the crane’s automation system and can be shown to both the crane operator as well as to other people involved, such as on the crane vessel’s bridge. A typical prediction window is five to eight minutes ahead of the wind gust coming in, which allows sufficient time to make the “go or no-go” decision for mating a blade to a nacelle. 

The system can be installed on newly built Huisman cranes as well as retrofitted to existing ones. 

The development of this system contributes to Huisman’s ambition to improve the installation of offshore wind turbines. Another recently introduced solution for controlled installation of blades is the Travelling Load Stabilising System that the company has developed in cooperation with Siemens Gamesa.

Features of the Huisman Wind Gust Buster

• Measurement of approaching wind speed and direction up to 10km distance.
• Sudden changes in the wind speed are detected in advance allowing crew member, like the person guiding the blade into the nacelle, to be informed.
• Unobstructed measurement of the wind speed as the sensor is placed on the top of the boom avoiding unnecessary downtime by inaccurate wind speed measurement due to sensor blockage.