Met-Ocean Conditions Influence Over Floating Wind Turbine Energy Production

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Martini ◽  
Raúl Guanche ◽  
José A. Armesto ◽  
Iñigo J. Losada
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Computational Effort ◽  
Energy Yield ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Term Energy ◽  
Ocean Conditions ◽  
The Time Domain ◽  
Platform Motions

The operation of a floating wind turbine may be severely affected by met-ocean conditions. In harsh climates, platform motions might exceed their safety limits and thus force the machine shutdown. It is here proposed a methodology for evaluating the effect of met-ocean conditions on the long-term energy production and dynamic response of such machines. Given a sample wind turbine, located off the coast of Santander, Spain, met-ocean data are extracted from reanalysis databases for a twenty years lifespan. The behavior of the wind turbine is simulated in the time domain for a subset of 500 hourly conditions, selected using a maximum dissimilarity algorithm (MDA), to reduce the computational effort. Results regarding floating platform motions are then interpolated for the whole set of data using radial basis functions (RBF). Tower inclination and hub acceleration are selected as relevant operating parameters. When one of them exceeds its safety threshold, the machine is supposed to be stopped. If no stops are considered, the capacity factor is 39%, while imposing more restrictive tolerances results in a non-linear decrease of the energy yield. This approach can be helpful in determining a good tradeoff between energy production and reliable operation, bridging the design and operational phases of the project.

Comparison of Time and Frequency Domain Simulations of an Offshore Floating Wind Turbine

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Philippe ◽  
Aure´lien Babarit ◽  
Pierre Ferrant
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Frequency Domain ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Domain Model ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Offshore Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
The Time Domain

Time domain simulations of an offshore floating wind turbine have been performed. Hydrodynamic impulse responses of the floating platform are calculated with linear hydrodynamic simulation tool ACHIL3D. A user defined module for the wind turbine design code FAST has been developed to calculate hydrodynamic and mooring loads on the structure. Resolution of the movements of the system is done with FAST. Simulation results in time domain are compared with frequency domain results. In the frequency domain model, the whole system is linearized. In the time domain model, the wind turbine model is not linearized. A good agreement between time and frequency domain calculations is observed, even for the pitch motion. Furthermore we observe a non linearity in the response of sway, roll and yaw degrees of freedom around 0.3 rad.s-1. The effect of viscous damping on the movements of the floating wind turbine system has been studied with the time domain model, and a non linear hydrostatic and Froude-Krylov load model has been developed. Effects of these non linear terms are shown.

Investigations of Unsteady Aerodynamics of an Offshore Floating Wind Turbine With Platform Motions Using Dual-Sliding Method

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodong Wang ◽  
Zhaoliang Ye ◽  
Ziwen Chen ◽  
Yize Guo ◽  
Yujun Qiao
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Sliding Mesh ◽  
Unsteady Aerodynamic ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Mesh Method ◽  
Offshore Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Platform Motions

Abstract Offshore wind energy developed rapidly in recent years. Due to the platform motions causing by ocean waves, the aerodynamics of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) show strong unsteady characters than onshore wind turbines. The widely used methods to investigate the unsteady aerodynamic performance of wind turbine are Blade Element Momentum (BEM) and Free-Vortex Wake (FVW) methods. The accuracy of these two methods strongly depend on empirical formula or correction models. However, for dynamics motions of wind turbine, there is still a lack of accurate models. CFD simulations using overset or dynamic mesh methods also have been used for FOWT aerodynamic investigations. However, the mesh deforming or reconstruction methods are usually suitable for small movement of wind turbine blade. In this paper, a dual-sliding mesh method is employed to simulate the unsteady aerodynamic characters of an offshore floating wind turbine with supporting platform motions using Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulations. Both rotor rotation and platform motions are treated as rigid angular motions. The relative motion and data exchange were simulated using sliding mesh method. The NREL 5MW reference wind turbine with platform pitching and rolling motions are considered. The pitching and rolling motions of floating platform are simplified in the form of a prescribed sinusoidal function. Different conditions with two amplitudes and two frequencies of pitching and rolling motions were investigated. URANS were performed with full structured mesh for wind turbine rotor using commercial software FLUENT. The platform motions were set using User Defined Function (UDF). Transitional Shear Stress Turbulence (T-SST) model was employed. The simulation results were compared with BEM method and FVW method results. Both steady status and dynamic pitching processes are investigated. The variations of wind turbine aerodynamic load, as well as the aerodynamic character of airfoils at different spanwise positions, were obtained and analyzed in detail. The simulations results show that the platform pitching introduce remarkable influence on the wind turbine aerodynamic performance. The platform pitching has much larger influence on the wind turbine power and thrust than the platform rolling. The dual-sliding mesh method shows potentials to investigation the dynamic process with multiple rigid motions.

Experimental Validation of a Wave Elevation Observer on a Floating Wind Turbine Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Di Carlo ◽  
Alessandro Fontanella ◽  
Alan Facchinetti ◽  
Sara Muggiasca ◽  
Federico Taruffi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Experimental Validation ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Estimation Procedure ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Experimental Campaign ◽  
Wave Elevation ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Wave Basin ◽  
Turbine Model

Abstract The scope of this work is to investigate if and how it is possible to estimate the incident wave elevation on a floating wind turbine, with the purpose of improved control strategies. A Kalman based algorithm is proposed, which receives as input the rigid motions of the floater and estimates the wave elevation hitting the floating platform. The structure of the observer is described and the estimator is tested numerically on the OC3-Hywind platform coupled with the 5-MW reference wind turbine from NREL. Limitations to the estimation procedure are discussed. Finally the algorithm is tested on experimental data coming from a wave basin experimental campaign on a floating wind turbine model. The algorithm still needs improvements, but results are encouraging in the development of this technology.

Impact of a Wind Turbine Blade Pitch Rate on a Floating Wind Turbine During an Emergency Shutdown Operation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauline Louazel ◽  
Daewoong Son ◽  
Bingbin Yu
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Floating Structure ◽  
Rapid Variation ◽  
Emergency Shutdown ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Wave Induced ◽  
Loss Of Thrust

Abstract During the shutdown of a wind turbine, the turbine blades rotate from their typical operating angle to their typical idling angle (approximately 90 degrees) at a specific speed, called the blade pitch rate. This operation leads to rapid loss of thrust force on the turbine resulting in a corresponding heel response of the floating structure. This rapid variation of loads at the turbine also leads to large nacelle accelerations which are transferred to the bottom of the tower and consequently to the floating structure, making the turbine shutdowns, and specifically emergency shutdowns, of significance in the design and certification of the turbine, tower and floating structure. In case of an emergency shutdown (for instance due to a grid loss), the blades typically pitch from 0 degree to 90 degrees in approximately 20–35 seconds, whereas this time period can be more than 100 seconds in the case of a normal shutdown [6]. For fixed-bottom wind turbines, increasing the blade pitch rate leads to an increase of instantaneous loads at the nacelle and tower, leading to the emergency shutdown pitch rate being usually chosen to be as low as possible. In the case of a floating wind turbine, however, water/platform interaction effects such as wave induced damping on the floating platform, challenge this approach. Indeed, increasing the blade pitch rate can increase the effect of wave-induced damping on the floater and therefore reduce the loads on the overall structure. On the other hand, reducing the blade pitch rate during an emergency shutdown can reduce this damping effect and increase those loads, meaning that an optimal blade pitch rate for a fixed bottom turbine is not necessarily optimal for a floating wind turbine. This paper will examine the behavior of a floating offshore semi-submersible platform, the WindFloat, during turbine shutdown operations, with an emphasis on the blade pitch rate during an emergency shutdown.

Progressive Drifting of Floating Wind Turbines in a Wind Farm

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideyuki Suzuki ◽  
Masaru Kurimoto ◽  
Yu Kitahara ◽  
Yukinari Fukumoto
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Wind Farm ◽  
Wind Farms ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Allowable Limit ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Wide Range

A wide range of platform types have been investigated for a floating wind turbine. Most of the research projects on a floating wind turbine assume that a land based wind turbine is to be installed on a platform with minimum modification to reduce the overall cost. For this reason, allowable limit of a motion of wind turbine is limited to lower value, for example, five degrees for static inclination and one to two degrees for pitching motion. So far analysis and design of motion characteristics of the platform have been main research concern. One key research area less focused is floating platform related risk. If the wind energy would be one of the major sources of power supply, wind farms which are comprised of large number of floating wind turbines must be deployed in the ocean. Wind turbines will be closely spaced in a wind farm so that installation cost should be minimized. In such an arrangement, a wind turbine accidentally started drifting has some possibility to collide or contact with the moorings of neighboring wind turbines and might cause progressive drifting of wind turbines. This paper present investigation of scenario of progressive drifting of floating wind turbines and evaluate risk of the scenario. Quantitative risk of several arrangements of wind farms is estimated. Effect of arrangement of wind turbines in a wind farm and safety factor used in design moorings is discussed.

Modelling the Aerodynamics of a Floating Wind Turbine Model Using a CFD-Based Actuator Disc Method

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Bezzina ◽  
Tonio Sant ◽  
Daniel Micallef
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Speed Ratio ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Blade Element Theory ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Actuator Disc ◽  
Turbine Wake ◽  
Blade Element

Abstract Significant research in the field of Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) rotor aerodynamics has been documented in literature, including validated aerodynamic models based on Blade Element Momentum (BEM) and vortex methods, amongst others. However, the effects of platform induced motions on the turbine wake development downstream of the rotor plane or any research related to such areas is rather limited. The aims of this paper are two-fold. Initially, results from a CFD-based Actuator Disc (AD) code for a fixed (non-surging) rotor are compared with those obtained from a Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory, as well as previously conducted experimental work. Furthermore, the paper also emphasises the effect of tip speed ratio (TSR) on the rotor efficiency. This is followed by the analysis of floating wind turbines specifically in relation to surge displacement, through an AD technique implemented in CFD software, ANSYS Fluent®. The approach couples the Blade Element Theory (BET) for estimating rotating blade loads with a Navier Stokes solver to simulate the turbine wake. With regards to the floating wind turbine cases, the code was slightly altered such that BET was done in a transient manner i.e. following sinusoidal behaviour of waves. The AD simulations were performed for several conditions of TSRs and surge frequencies, at a constant amplitude. Similar to the fixed rotor analysis, significant parameters including thrust and power coefficients, amongst others, were studied against time and surge position. The floating platform data extracted from the AD approach was compared to the non-surging turbine data obtained, to display platform motion effects clearly. Data from hot wire near wake measurements and other simulation methods were also consulted.

scholarly journals Unsteady aerodynamic analysis for offshore floating wind turbines under different wind conditions

2015 ◽  
Vol 373 (2035) ◽  
pp. 20140080 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. F. Xu ◽  
T. G. Wang ◽  
Y. Yuan ◽  
J. F. Cao
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Unsteady Aerodynamic ◽  
Blade Root ◽  
Platform Motions

A free-vortex wake (FVW) model is developed in this paper to analyse the unsteady aerodynamic performance of offshore floating wind turbines. A time-marching algorithm of third-order accuracy is applied in the FVW model. Owing to the complex floating platform motions, the blade inflow conditions and the positions of initial points of vortex filaments, which are different from the fixed wind turbine, are modified in the implemented model. A three-dimensional rotational effect model and a dynamic stall model are coupled into the FVW model to improve the aerodynamic performance prediction in the unsteady conditions. The effects of floating platform motions in the simulation model are validated by comparison between calculation and experiment for a small-scale rigid test wind turbine coupled with a floating tension leg platform (TLP). The dynamic inflow effect carried by the FVW method itself is confirmed and the results agree well with the experimental data of a pitching transient on another test turbine. Also, the flapping moment at the blade root in yaw on the same test turbine is calculated and compares well with the experimental data. Then, the aerodynamic performance is simulated in a yawed condition of steady wind and in an unyawed condition of turbulent wind, respectively, for a large-scale wind turbine coupled with the floating TLP motions, demonstrating obvious differences in rotor performance and blade loading from the fixed wind turbine. The non-dimensional magnitudes of loading changes due to the floating platform motions decrease from the blade root to the blade tip.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document