Offshore wind farms are a growing renewable energy source, but establishing one is no easy feat. The base of a windmill, known as the monopile, must be driven into the seabed by a hydraulic hammer. Fifty years ago, the piles were small, measuring 20 centimeters in diameter. Today, piles may be a staggering 10 to 12 meters in diameter, requiring hydraulic hammers with a flow of 3,200 I/min at 350 bar to set them. Getting reliable hydraulic power — sometimes miles from land to run massive impact hammers — creates challenges for the industry. That’s where Hydrauvision comes in. At Hydrauvision, we build large power packs containing CATERPILLAR engines because of their wide service network and reliability.
