Wind Turbine Tensioners

The Wind Turbine bolted joints have requirements which differ dramatically from other bolted joints such as the ones found in the Oil & Gas or Petrochemical industries.

Texas Controls, without a doubt, pioneered the Wind Industry bolt tightening applications.

First of all, Texas Controls’ founder developed his first wind turbine bolt tensioning application in 1988; this first development which solved an enormous problem on a 1Mw prototype, was really an early start, since, for almost another decade, wind turbines were quite smaller than now days.

Second, because from the early days of the Wind Industry to almost the year 2000, Texas Controls was the only company that understood the unique requirements of this industry, developing the appropriate tools instead of, like every other potential competitor, forcing wind turbine manufacturers to use standard tools, thought for other applications, in the best case with just some minor modifications.

Our range of bolt tensioners for the Wind Industry has been specifically engineered, designed and developed taking into account the industry’s strict requirements.

Texas Controls offers a wide series of bolt hydraulic tensioners, specially designed for bolting applications in the Wind Industry.

This family of tensioners are suitable for a wide range of wind turbine applications, for erecting projects and maintenance programs.

Our designs and developments have proven to be the most reliable, user friendly and fastest units on the market, based on constant improvements achieved during our co-creation processes together with the end users.

Main Features:

• Slim Design, double deck type allowing very high loads in quite limited radial clearance applications.
• Maximum working pressures 1350/1400/1500 bar.
• Maximum stroke 7 or 10mm.
• High pressure quick connect couplings, with no o-ring required, assuring better performance.
• Maximum stroke indicator.
• Belleville spring return system (reliability and speed).
• Real fast oil return.
• All Metric and special threads available under request.
• Different nut sizes and types available.
• Different thread tolerances available.
• Positive stop to avoid over stroke.
• Anti-projection system in case of puller failure.
• Most reliable nut rotating gear box in the market.
• Cycle Counter as an option.
• Special Designs under request.

Innovative design criteria and high quality manufacturing standards, ensures safety, simplicity of use, reliability and speed.
Thanks to our extensive experience in “on site” bolt tightening jobs, we provide a versatile hydraulic tool.
The GR Series covers, as standard, bolt diameters from M20 through M64.

The GR Range of Tensioners was designed with an idea in mind: bring to the classical Wind Turbine tensioners, but for higher bolt protrusion than the GR-LD Range.

Main Features:

• Maximum working pressures 1350/1400/1500 bar.
• Maximum stroke 7 or 8mm.
• High pressure quick connect couplings, with no o-ring required, assuring better performance.
• Maximum stroke indicator.
• Belleville spring return system (reliability and speed).
• Real fast oil return.
• All Metric and special threads available under request.
• Different nut sizes and types available.
• Different thread tolerances available.
• Positive stop to avoid over stroke
• Anti-projection system in case of puller failure.
• Most reliable nut rotating gear box in the market.
• Cycle Counter as an option.
• Special Designs under request.

Wind Turbines, unlike pressure vessels are not designed under a specific code but under each technologist proprietary designs, forcing each design to be taken differently, to the point that many applications are turbine specific.

Adding weight to a wind turbine is something to avoid, therefore, bolt are required high tractions resistance and reduced diameters to meet this criteria. This means that, regardless of space restrictions, applied and residual loads have to be much higher, closer to yield limits, than in other industries.
At factory (assembly line) or in the field, speed is crucial, but also reliability, since these tools can be working 24/7 for months in harsh environments and in remote locations where instant service is an utopia.
Although Safety is a Must regardless of the industry, in most of the conventional applications, operators can stand away from the bolt’s and the tensioner’s axle while pressurized, something that in many wind turbine applications, such as inside the hub, is impossible. Understanding this matter from the early beginning, forced us to design bolt tensioners that in case of puller failure, they will not fly off as a bullet.

These are just a few of many industry specific aspects taken into account in our designs. All of our Wind Turbine bolt tensioners are divided into 4 different families, shown as standard but with specific designs for each turbine manufacturer or even tower or anchor design.

The fact that new turbines and applications are developed constantly, we are designing application specific bolt tensioners every week.