Texas wind project for LG 1750
13 August 2019Trand, based in Pratt, Kansas, took delivery of the first LG 1750 in the US in March. A few months later the 750t (850USt) lattice boom mobile crane was used to exchange the main shaft on a wind turbine with a nearly 400ft (~120m) hub height in the Lubbock, Texas area.
“One challenge we faced during the planning of this job was that the allowable ground bearing pressure was very low,” said Trand’s vice president of operations Andrea Arnett. “At the time of the crane purchase, we also purchased eight steel mats to help spread the pressure over a larger area and minimize the pressure per square foot to the ground. The steel mats were essential for this job.”
The LG 1750, stabilised on an outrigger system, has a 633ft maximum hoist height, six winches and variable boom systems. The strength of the crane on this job was its lifting capacity and luffing abilities.
Trand also purchased a 344ft luffing jib with the crane. “The luffer was essential for this job,” Arnett said. “We originally did not plan to use it, but the blades on this rotor had a 40ft pre-bend and would likely have hit the boom using the original configuration.” The crane was sitting at a 110ft radius and was able to easily remove and replace the rotor.
