There was a time when all wind-driven affairs such as windmill sails, were mounted on wide wooden structures- windmills. With the growth of both the number and size of wind turbines over the last forty years, wind towers needed to be strong, durable, easily accessible for maintenance to the nacelle and gears, and not overly expensive.
The Finnish hollow stainless steel section manufacturer Stalatube, (see its factory above) is based in Lahti, Finland. The company is about to embark upon a new generation of wind power towers. It has chosen Outokumpu’s duplex stainless steel as one of the main construction material for its new wind power towers. This is because duplex stainless steel is a strong and durable material, which provides the strength needed to house the latest heavy nacelles and wind turbine blades.
Markku Koponen, Director of Stalatube’s Energy Sector, is pictured above. He says:
“The turbine manufacturers demand taller towers, because at heights of more than 100 meters, the energy output of the towers increases by an average of one percent every additional metre. As a solution, Stalatube has designed steel hybrid towers, essentially made of stainless steel tubes that can take turbines up to heights of 140 to 160 meters or more.”
Due to the strength of duplex stainless steel, the towers are remarkably lighter compared to the conventional towers in the market today. The lighter structure makes both the transportation and the onsite installation easier and cost efficient, not to forget also low CO2 emissions for the entire life cycle.
Pekka Heinonen is the sales manager from Outokumpu. He says:
“The selected stainless duplex grade is LDX 2101®. It is particularly suitable for wind power towers due to its strength, because it allows thinner walls, resulting in lighter structure and cost savings, as less welding is required.”
Stainless steel is a proven and durable material. During the life of wind power tower, stainless steel should not require any maintenance, and when, after two or three decades, the tower reaches the end of its life, stainless steel can be either reused or fully recycled. How green can you get?
Outokumpu is recognised as a global leader in stainless steel. Stainless steel was invented a century ago, and was and remains an ideal material to create lasting solutions in demanding applications from cutlery to bridges, energy and medical equipment. Sheffield in the north of England became the steel heart of metal manufacturing in the UK. Steel is 100% recyclable, corrosion-resistant, maintenance-free, durable and hygienic.
Outokumpu employs more than 12 000 professionals in more than 30 countries, with headquarters in Espoo, Finland.
