Wind of change for renewable energies: TII presents new transport solutions for the wind energy sector

• New: 3rd generation blade adapter with even more lifting power of 610 metre tonnes

• Highly flexible, future-proof and powerful - new transport system for particularly long wind turbine blades of over 80 metres long

• Special authorisation no longer required for empty runs

At this year's bauma in Munich (8th – 14th April 2019), the TII Group (Transporter Industry International) will be demonstrating its expertise in the area of wind turbine transport at the outdoor exhibition area North 828. The focus is on the 3rd generation of the TII wind turbine blade adapter as well as a newly developed vehicle combination for transporting particularly long wind turbine blades.

Blade Adapter Generation 3: more lifting power and easier blade pick up

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Wind turbines are becoming more and more powerful with higher hubs and longer rotor blades. Accordingly, the requirements placed on the transport and installation of such system are more demanding. The TII Group offers efficient vehicle solutions for transporting wind turbine blades, towers, nacelles and hubs. In mountainous, twisting or wooded terrain, a large number of companies worldwide rely on the TII Group's blade adapters. They are mounted on heavy duty vehicles such as K25 or InterCombi models and, with the help of a quick-release plate, easily and safely pick up and carry wind turbine blades of different dimensions. The wind blade can be set to an angle of 60 degrees or rotated endlessly around its own axis in order to avoid any obstacles on the route.

At this year's bauma, TII is presenting the wind turbine blade adapter of the, in the meantime, third generation. With an improved payload moment of up to 610 metre tonnes, it is possible to transport even longer turbine blades than was previously possible whereby the adapter is mounted on platform vehicles or self-propelled vehicles. As a result, the manufacturer has taken into account the development of more and more powerful wind turbines.

Furthermore, the creative minds at TII have further simplified the pick up and loading procedure of the turbine blade. Due to an even more flexible angle of inclination of the quick-release plate, the adapter and blade can be easily and quickly bolted to the frame from the inside. In the advanced generation, it is also possible to attach the drawbar element directly to the wind turbine blade adapter. This has therefore created the opportunity to flexibly assembly mechanically steered combinations.

The turbine blade transport of the future: ideal for blades over 80 metres long

The new series solution for particularly long wind turbine blades presents itself as flexible and technically well thought-out. The system consists of a road bend-resistant 2-axle jeep dolly with a free-turning device and a 4-axle trailing unit. With the possibility of transporting rotor blades more than 80 metres long, the weight-optimised combination has proved itself to be future-proof. Moreover, the air-suspended BPW axles are particularly low-maintenance.

The picking-up procedure for the turbine blade functions according to the "plug and play" principle and is unique on the market. Unlike conventional systems, the TII solution requires only a minimum of auxiliary means. With the help of a lifting device, the blade root is easily picked up off the ground. The lifting procedure is done with a quick coupling solution consisting of a root adapter and a root frame. The free-turning device is mounted on the latter in order to be able to instantly connect the frame and root to the adapter. An uneven ground surface or different road levels are no problem: the lifting height can vary from -200 to +2,000 millimetres.

Supporting the rotor blade on the rear 4-axis trailing unit has been well thought through. Compared to conventional vehicles, the combination is extremely manoeuvrable and guarantees a high level of safety for the load. An intelligent arrangement of articulated joints in the support ensures careful transport of the sensitive rotor blade. A manufacturer-independent clamp can be mounted on the construction with the help of an easy-to-use plug connection which accommodates the wind turbine blade at the rear end.

The transport system is complemented by the fact that all elements can be assembled together to create a single semi-trailer combination for empty runs. This results in a overall length of 16.5 metres and a total weight of under 60 t. Special authorisation foruse in Europe is therefore not required. Start of sales will be at bauma.