Hairpin Turns on Steep Grades Demand Special Equipment
Extreme Transports: A new series of case studies from Goldhofer focuses on the conditions that make a move extremely challenging. In the first in the series, the heavy-duty transport specialist takes us up and down the mountains of Peru.
From Issue 4, 2024 of Breakbulk Magazine
Goldhofer solutions for the transportation of wind power components sometimes involve moves at high altitudes over mountain passes with twists and turns. Specialized equipment is a must for these transports.
In mid-2023, the Peruvian heavy haulage specialist Transportes Acoinsa transported wind turbine components for the Wayra II wind farm in Peru’s Ica region. Two Goldhofer FTV 850s were used to transport the 77-meter rotor blades for 31 wind turbines to their destination, making a total of 93 blades.
To handle this challenging assignment, the team of heavy-duty specialists at Acoinsa opted for the FTV 850, the third generation of Goldhofer’s blade hauler. Depending on the job, a wide range of options is available with adapters for various parallel combinations. This makes the FTV 850 ideally suited for transporting extralong rotor blades used for turbines on sites with low wind speeds.
Even the latest generation of rotor blades requiring a lifting torque of up to 850 tonnes can be picked up and transported with full flexibility in the towed or self-propelled mode. With the split-combination option and mounting behind the loading area, the FTV 850 offers extremely high stability combined with low ballast weight.
The two FTV 850s were mounted on twelve-axle Goldhofer THP/SL modules. On the demanding 129-kilometer route from the port to the Wayra II wind farm, narrow passages and built-up areas, power lines, roundabouts, trees and sections with hairpin bends meant that the rotor blades had to be raised for 50% of the journey.
That was no problem for the experienced Acoinsa team and the Goldhofer FTV 850s. With a lift angle of up to 60 degrees, the obstacles were mastered with ease. With the FTV you do not need to cut trees, widen roads/ roundabouts, etc. because you can simply lift and lower the blade, which significantly lowers transport costs.
High-altitude transports also demand equipment that provides extra safety measures for the heavy haul team. With such long wind blades, the load’s center of gravity is often decisive, as this is far in front of the combination depending on the lift angle, which means that enormous tipping stability is required. High gradients intensify this effect, which is why careful transport and route planning is required.
Goldhofer impresses with optimized load and center of gravity distribution by positioning the FTV behind the chassis and thus with the lowest possible center of gravity.
Goldhofer is a Breakbulk Global Event Partner.
