Vacon Bags AXTech Order
AC drives manufacturer Vacon will deliver liquid-cooled AC drives with a total power of 2.7 MW for active heave-compensated winches onboard a Norwegian-built IMR ship. The delivery will take place in March 2012. Vacon and Norwegian winch manufacturer AXTech signed a contract for 17 liquid-cooled 690 V AC drives to be used for one of the largest electrified active heave-compensated winches ever built, for lowering and lifting equipment to the seabed at depths up to 2,000 m.
The winch system will be installed onboard a new IMR (Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair) vessel, to be built in Norway. The vessel will be completed in late 2012. Besides the main winch with a capacity of 70 t, the system comprises several auxiliary and guide wire winches.
Most Important
The winch system uses Vacon’s Active Front-End technology which fulfills the most stringent harmonic distortion requirements, set forth by the Norwegian classification body Det Norske Veritas. Furthermore, if necessary, it allows the energy generated by winch braking to be fed back to the vessel’s electrical network. “The most important factor for choosing Vacon was the advanced AFE technology, and a proven track record in offshore winch applications, along with a competitive price”, says managing director Per Halvor Rønningen of Vacon Norway.