MENCK, a brand in marine energy and infrastructure services company Acteon, has introduced its latest innovation - the MHU 6000W Wind Hammer - which is capable of handling larger and heavier piles for offshore wind in increasingly challenging environments.
The Wind Hammer is engineered to drive larger piles in tougher environments and install longer piles in deeper waters, to enable the deployment of a future generation of monopiles with top diameters of up to nine meters.
Delivering from 200 kJ to 6,250 kJ of energy to drive monopiles with diameters up to 9 m and beyond, the Wind Hammer is said to provides ‘unmatched’ power and efficiency, setting a new benchmark in performance for offshore installations.
By incorporating the MENCK Noise Reduction Unit (MNRU), the Wind Hammer ensures efficient and environmentally responsible installations, significantly reducing noise, pile fatigue and operational costs.
Key features include a double-acting hydraulic drive, closed-loop control, shock absorber cartridges and comprehensive safety mechanisms.
By driving a larger hammer at a lower energy, the Wind Hammer reduces machinery wear and tear and minimizes underwater noise, to support a sustainable offshore environment, according to MENCK.
As the MHU 6000W machinery is connected to MENCK’s real-time digital and data platform, the machine draws on decades of pile-driving experience and places that knowledge at the fingertips of the operator offshore, while giving full situational awareness to offshore operations and onshore engineering and equipment management real-time support.
MENCK’s latest equipment addresses environmental concerns by maximizing the use of sustainable lubricants. The system incorporates numerous technology improvements extending uptime by more than 200% compared with conventional hammers.
“As the offshore renewable sector expands beyond traditional regions, we face new challenges, including unexplored natural soil deposits. The MHU 6000W Wind Hammer is designed to meet these challenges head-on, delivering the power, precision and operational insights to install the ever-larger foundation structures required as wind turbine sizes continue to grow.
“As we venture into deeper waters and navigate changing soil conditions, this innovation is critical to ensuring we remain at the forefront of the renewable energy landscape,” said Fabian Hippe, Marine Foundations Sales Director, Acteon.