23.10.2023

Advance wind gust warning

Dutch heavy and offshore crane manufacturer Huisman has unveiled a new wind detection system aiming to make the installation of wind turbines safer.

The new system, ‘Wind Gust Buster’, provides crane operators with the tools needed to anticipate and respond to approaching wind speeds and detects their direction 360 degrees around the boom tip during the installation of turbine blades.

A ‘prediction window’ provides users with a five to eight minute advance notice before the gusts hit. It is capable of measuring the speed and direction of winds up to 10 kilometres away, and it can also detect sudden changes in wind conditions.

Wind measurement done through the application of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system on the cranes boom nose, scanning the horizontal area. The data can then be viewed by the operator and others involved in the process.
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Detects 360 degrees around boom tip

Huisman product director Cees Van Veluw said: “Right now, sudden wind gusts pose a safety risk to the people in the wind turbine, as well as an integrity risk to the blade and nacelle. While we all get used to checking the rain radar prior to taking a hike outside, we haven’t seen this used the same way in turbine installation before.”

“The Wind Gust Buster improves the crane operator’s ability to mate the blade in a controlled manner and thus contributes to safety of the whole lifting operation. This can lead to less damage to components like the blade’s stud bolts, and thus can lead to a cost reduction and installation speed improvement.”

Founded in 1929 in the Netherlands, Huisman evolved from a steel construction company into a global heavy lifting and offshore equipment designer and manufacturer. In the 1960s, it shifted its focus to offshore and heavy lifting equipment, developing crane and lifting solutions. The company expanded internationally and now employs more than 2,500.