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IMAGE: Materials researchers at Saarland University and mechanical engineers at RWTH Aachen University working to further develop monopile production for offshore wind farms. view more
Credit: Steelwind Nordenham
With an output of around ten megawatts, today s wind turbines on the open sea have enormous dimensions. Their gigantic nacelles - with a generator, rotor and rotor blades spanning more than 100 meters - stand atop a steel tower. This tower, in turn, rests in the sea on colossal steel pipes known as monopiles, currently measuring up to ten meters in diameter and weighing 1,500 tons. To ensure that these can withstand storms, waves and aggressive saltwater over many years and still be produced economically, materials researchers at Saarland University and mechanical engineers at RWTH Aachen University want to work together with steel specialist Dillinger and other companies to develop new, customized steel grades. The research project is being supported