Renewable Energy


of the contact bands is omitted, saving assembly time during the production process of the PV module. Te contact of the bands can easily be made by clamp springs, or alternatively by welding or soldering. Te box is fixed on the panel either using silicone or with double-sided adhesive tape. Further advantages of the PV-JB/WL are the high protection class IP65 and IP67 as well as an additional protection of the cable sleeve thanks to the protecting lid, which prevents a bending of the cable at the exit. Multi-Contact is able to provide solutions for all kinds of applications in various environments. Fast developing industries such as photovoltaic often brings forth new applications, requiring unprecedented, flexible solutions. To meet these specific requirements, Multi-Contact is specialised in designing customised products. Sometimes small modifications of products from the standard portfolio solve the task, at other times new products are designed from scratch. Te MC Multilam Technology ensures high contact quality and a long product life. Low contact resistance enables minimum power loss and helps increase the efficiency of PV installations. In 1996, Multi-Contact introduced the MC3, the


world’s first PV connector in series production. Te connector set a standard for the PV industry which is still true today, and was complemented by the MC4 connector system in 2002. Both connectors have been tried and tested in long-term use around the world. For more than 14 years, Multi-Contact has been


operating a test installation on the roof of the company headquarters in Switzerland. Te in-house test laboratory runs regular tests according to the official standards and beyond. Minimum requirements for these tests are defined by the DIN EN 50521 standard for connectors and the DIN VDE 0126-5 standard for junction boxes. When it comes to certifications of the products, Multi-Contact follows a dual strategy. Whenever possible, the products are tested and certified by both TÜV and UL. ●


Enter 51 or ✔ at www.engineerlive.com/ipe


Multi-Contact AG is based in Allschwil, Switzerland. www.multi-contact.com


O Offshore wind farms could alleviate noise concerns


ffshore sites are seen as the best option for wind farms. Not only is wind virtually guaranteed 24/7, but also installations out at sea alleviate any concerns about noise pollution and damage to the beauty of the countryside Until now offshore wind turbines have


had to be firmly rooted on the seabed with large and costly subsea structures. Things are changing, however, with the advent of Statoil’s innovative new offshore floating Hywind wind turbine, the first of which is now successfully moored in the North Sea off the Norwegian coast. The Hywind turbine incorporates


Trelleborg’s syntactic foam (hollow glass microspheres embedded in a binder) buoyancy technology. Without the support of properly


designed buoyancy the structure would be much less able to resist the extremes of the offshore environment, and the cable that anchors the turbine to the seabed could suffer premature damage.


For Hywind, Trelleborg designed and supplied 45 polymer-coated syntactic foam distributed buoyancy modules (DBMs),


which supply buoyancy support for a three- ton, 100-metre section of cable as it exits the turbine spar and descends to the seabed 220 meters below the surface. The buoyancy modules include an internal clamp for secure fastening and precise positioning on the cable. The cable is supported mid- water in what is known as a ‘lazy wave’ configuration, featuring gentle, long radius curves that minimize stress on the cable while accommodating natural movement created by wind and waves. For optimum buoyancy under different sea conditions, the precise position of Trelleborg’s 45 polymer-coated syntactic foam distributed buoyancy modules (DBMs) on the cable from the Statoil’s Hywind floating wind turbine is precalculated. The positions must be maintained,


despite stresses during launch and in operation. ●


For more information, visit www.trelleborg.com


www.engineerlive.com 51


Fig. 3. Multi-Contact Headquarters in Switzerland.


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