Calibration of Hydrodynamic Coefficients for a Semi-Submersible 10 MW Wind Turbine

Author(s):  
Marit I. Kvittem ◽  
Petter Andreas Berthelsen ◽  
Lene Eliassen ◽  
Maxime Thys

Hydrodynamic model tests and numerical simulations may be combined in a complementary manner during the design and qualification of new offshore structures. In the EU H2020 project LIFES50+ (lifes50plus.eu), a model test campaign of floating offshore wind turbines using Real-Time Hybrid Model (ReaTHM) testing techniques was carried out at SINTEF Ocean in fall 2017. The present paper focuses on the process of calibrating a numerical model to the experimental results. The concepts tested in the experimental campaign was a 1:36 scale model of the public version of the 10MW OO-Star Wind Floater semi-submersible offshore wind turbine. A time-domain numerical model was developed based on the as-built scale model. The hull was considered as rigid, while bar elements were used to model the mooring system and tower in a coupled finite element approach. First-order frequency-dependent added mass, potential damping, and excitation forces/moments were evaluated across a range of frequencies using a panel method. Distributed viscous forces on the hull and mooring lines were added to the numerical model according to Morison’s equation. Potential difference-frequency excitation forces were also included by applying Newman’s approximation. The quasi static properties of the mooring system were assessed by comparing the restoring force and maximum line tension with the pull-out test. Drag coefficients for the line segments were estimated by imposing the measured fairlead motion from model tests as forced displacement and comparing the calculated and measured dynamic line tension. The linear and viscous damping coefficients were first estimated based on the decay tests, and the tuned damping coefficients were compared to initial guesses based on the Reynolds and Keulegan-Carpenter number at model scale. The results were then applied in the numerical model, and simulations in extreme irregular waves were compared to the experiments. It was found that second order drift forces proved to be significant, particularly for the severe irregular seastate. These could not be modelled correctly applying the potential drift forces together with quadratic damping matrix tuned to the free decay test. And the model with viscous drag coefficients tuned to decay tests also underestimated the slow drift motions. Thus, new viscous drag coefficients were determined to match the low frequency platform response. To inverstigate the performance of the tuned model, comparisons were made for a moderate seastate and for a simulation with both waves and wind on an operating turbine. In the end, possible further improvements to the modelling were suggested.

Author(s):  
Petter Andreas Berthelsen ◽  
Erin E. Bachynski ◽  
Madjid Karimirad ◽  
Maxime Thys

In this paper, a numerical model of a braceless semi-submersible floating wind turbine (FWT) is calibrated against model test data. Experimental data from a 1:30 scaled model tested at MARINTEK’s Ocean Basin in 2015 using real-time hybrid model testing (ReaTHM) is used for the calibration of the time-domain simulation model. In these tests, aerodynamic loads were simulated in real-time and applied to the physical model. The simulation model is based on the as-built model at full scale. The hull and turbine are considered as rigid, while bar elements are used to model the mooring system in a coupled finite element approach. Frequency-dependent added mass, radiation damping, and excitation forces/moments are evaluated using a panel method based on potential theory. Distributed viscous forces on the hull and mooring lines are added to the numerical model applying Morison’s equation. The viscous drag coefficients in Morison’s equation are calibrated against selected test data, including decay tests in calm water and test with irregular waves. Simulations show that the drag coefficients change when waves are present. Aerodynamic loads are included as time varying loads applied directly at the hub based on the actual physical loads from the experiment. This way, uncertainties related to the aerodynamic loads in the calibrations are removed. The calibrated numerical model shows good agreement with experimental data.


Author(s):  
Kjell Larsen ◽  
Tjerand Vigesdal ◽  
Rune Bjørkli ◽  
Oddgeir Dalane

This paper presents results from extensive small-scale model testing of three semi submersibles together with an overview of damping contributions of low frequency motions. The objectives of the model tests were to verify empirical correction formulas for viscous wave drift forces and to recommend and validate theoretical low frequency damping models. The main parameters of the semis such as displacement, number of columns and diameter of columns were intentionally varied in order to assess the effects on total wave drift forces and corresponding damping. The results show that viscous effects significantly increase the total wave drift forces in extreme sea states. The presence of current increases the effect. As expected, the viscous contribution to wave drift is especially important for semis with slender columns. A revised empirical correction formula for wave drift forces is proposed based on model test results. An overview of the different low frequency damping effects is given. Damping from viscous forces on the hull and damping from the mooring system are the most important sources of damping for the moored semis. A simplified model to calculate mooring system damping is proposed. For accurate prediction of low frequency motions of moored semi submersibles in extreme sea states, a damping level in the range 40–70% of critical damping should be applied for surge and sway when the empirical correction formulas for wave drift forces are applied.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Lei ◽  
Xiang Yuan Zheng ◽  
Hua-dong Zheng

Abstract This work is dedicated to comparing the experimental and numerical results of the dynamic responses of a novel floating system integrating a floating offshore wind turbine with a steel fish farming cage (FOWT-SFFC) under wind and wave loadings. The patents of this floating system have been successfully licensed recently in China and USA. The experimental study is carried out in the Ocean Basin of Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, with a Froude scaling of 1:30. A small commercial wind turbine is used to produce the scaled wind loads on FOWT-SFFC in terms of the similarity of thrust force. In this paper, the setup of model tests is described first. Second, a numerical model of prototype FOWT-SFFC is built in the software OrcaFlex. Then, this numerical model is calibrated and updated by the results of free decay tests and static offset tests in the basin. The numerical model also adopts three sets of drag coefficients. Finally, the experimental results of FOWT-SFFC under a variety of load cases are presented and compared with the numerical simulation results. They include seakeeping tests for hydrodynamic motion response amplitude operators (RAOs) and dynamic responses corresponding to normal operating and survival conditions. The numerical simulation results show that, though they are in good agreement with model test data especially on time records of dynamic responses, they are sensitive to the selection of drag coefficients particularly on extreme values and low-frequency spectral contents. Appropriate drag coefficients are suggested to be used in the numerical model for a specific environmental condition. Drag coefficients benchmarked from the free decay tests may not be suitable for moderate and harsh wave conditions.


Author(s):  
Federico Taruffi ◽  
Simone Di Carlo ◽  
Sara Muggiasca ◽  
Alessandro Fontanella

Abstract This paper deals with the numerical design of a floating offshore wind turbine outdoor large-scale prototype based on the DTU 10MW. The objective of this work is to develop a numerical simulation environment for the design of an outdoor scaled prototype. The numerical model is realized coupling the preliminary designed Blue Growth Farm large-scale turbine model with a traditional floater, the OC3 spar buoy. The numerical model is used to evaluate the loads associated with the wind turbine when combined to a floating foundation, with the focus on the coupling between the dynamics of the control system and the one of the floating platform. In addition to this, also the consistency of loads on crucial turbine components is an interesting test bench for the evaluation of the dynamical effects and drives the final design of the physical model.


Author(s):  
Raúl Guanche ◽  
Lucía Meneses ◽  
Javier Sarmiento ◽  
César Vidal ◽  
Íñigo Losada

Nowadays there are few methodologies related with the design of mooring systems for floating offshore wind platforms. The ones used until the moment are inherited from the oil and gas industry. Because of that, mooring loads may be incorrectly estimated. This study presents a validated methodology in order to estimate the loads of the moorings of offshore floating platforms along the life cycle of the structure. The methodology is based on an extensive laboratory test data base carried out in a wave basin of the University of Cantabria. The proposed methodology has been applied to a floating semisubmersible platform (similar to the one in Agucadoira by Principle Power). The methodology is composed by a few steps. The first step consist on the selection of the most representative sea states of a long term met-ocean data base through a selection technique named MDA (Maximum dissimilitude algorithm). Afterwards, mooring system loads and platform motion are numerically simulated. SESAM (DNV) numerical model has been used in this particular application. SESAM numerical model was previously calibrated based on the laboratory tests. Finally, based on a multidimensional interpolation technique named Radial Basis Function life cycle mooring system loads were reconstructed. A sensitivity analysis of the methodology were carried out. Based on it, it can be concluded that selecting 1000 sea states with the MaxDiss technique, life cycle mooring loads can be accurately predicted.


Author(s):  
Magnus J. Harrold ◽  
Philipp R. Thies ◽  
David Newsam ◽  
Claudio Bittencourt Ferreira ◽  
Lars Johanning

Abstract The mooring system for a floating offshore wind turbine is a critical sub-system that ensures the safe station keeping of the platform and has a key influence on hydrodynamic stability. R&D efforts have increasingly explored the benefits of nonlinear mooring systems for this application, as they have the potential to reduce the peak mooring loads and fatigue cycling, ultimately reducing the system cost. This paper reports on a hydraulic based mooring component that possesses these characteristics, attributable mostly to the non-linear deformation of a flexible bladder. This is not a typical hydraulic component and, as a consequence, modeling its dynamic performance is non-trivial. This paper addresses this by introducing an analogy to numerically model the system, in which the functionality of the mooring component is compared to that of a hydraulic cylinder. The development of a working model in Simscape Fluids is outlined, and is subsequently used to simulate the IMS in a realistic environment. It is found that the numerical model captures a number of the dynamic performance characteristics observed in a previously tested prototype of the IMS.


Author(s):  
Wei-Ting Hsu ◽  
Krish P. Thiagarajan ◽  
Lance Manuel

There are several challenges facing the design of mooring system of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs), including installation costs, stability of lightweight minimalistic platforms, and shallow water depths (50–300m). For station keeping of FOWTs, a proper mooring system is required in order to maintain the translational motions in surge and sway and the rotational motions in yaw of the platform within an adequate range. A combination of light pre-tension, shallow water depth and large platform motions in response to a survival storm condition can result in snap-type impact events on mooring lines, thus increasing the line tension dramatically. In this paper, we present a new snap load criterion applicable to a catenary mooring system and compare it with Det Norske Veritas’ criterion for marine operations. As a case study, we examine the extreme tension on a catenary mooring system of a semi-submersible FOWT exposed to a 100-year storm condition. The software OrcaFlex was used for numerical simulations of the mooring system. NREL’s FAST software was coupled to OrcaFlex to obtain aerodynamic loads along with hydrodynamic loads for FOWT analyses. Snap-type impact events were observed in the numerical simulations and were characterized by two criteria. Tension maxima were fitted using composite Weibull distributions (CWDs) and comparisons of probability exceedance were made for the two different snap load criteria.


Author(s):  
T. H. J. Bunnik ◽  
G. de Boer ◽  
J. L. Cozijn ◽  
J. van der Cammen ◽  
E. van Haaften ◽  
...  

This paper describes a series of model tests aimed at gaining insight in the tension variations in the export risers and mooring lines of a CALM buoy. The test result were therefore not only analysed carefully, but were also used as input and to validate a numerical tool that computes the coupled motions of the buoy and its mooring system. The tests were carried out at a model scale of 1 to 20. Captive tests in regular and irregular waves were carried out to investigate non-linearities in the wave forces on the buoy for example from the presence of the skirt. Decay tests were carried out to determine the damping of the buoy’s motions and to obtain the natural periods. Finally, tests in irregular waves were carried out. The dynamics of the mooring system and the resulting damping have a significant effect on the buoy’s motions. A numerical tool has been developed that combines the wave-frequency buoy motions with the dynamical behaviour of the mooring system. The motions of the buoy are computed with a linearised equation of motion. The non-linear motions of the mooring system are computed simultaneously and interact with the buoy’s motions. In this paper, a comparison is shown between the measurements and the simulations. Firstly, the wave forces obtained with a linear diffraction computation with a simplified skirt are compared with the measured wave forces. Secondly, the numerical modelling of the mooring system is checked by comparing line tensions when the buoy moves with the motion as measured in an irregular wave test. Thirdly, the decay tests are simulated to investigate the correctness of the applied viscous damping values. Finally, simulations of a test in irregular waves are shown to validate the entire integrated concept. The results show that: 1. The wave-exciting surge and heave forces can be predicted well with linear diffraction theory. However, differences between the measured and computed pitch moment are found, caused by a simplified modelling of the skirt and the shortcomings of the diffraction model. 2. To predict the tension variations in the mooring lines and risers (and estimate fatigue) it is essential that mooring line dynamics are taken into account. 3. The heave motions of the buoy are predicted well. 4. The surge motions of the buoy are predicted reasonably well. 5. The pitch motions are wrongly predicted.


2013 ◽  
Vol 787 ◽  
pp. 439-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiu Tao Fan ◽  
Meng Shao ◽  
Jin Wei Sun ◽  
Shan Shan Zheng ◽  
Yong Qi

The static characteristic of a horizontal composite mooring system for wave measuring buoy is studied using 3D potential theory and catenary theory. The 3D hydrodynamic model is built for surface pontoon and wave measuring buoy to calculate the mean steady drift forces and response amplitude operators. Combined with extreme environmental conditions and catenary theory, static analysis of the mooring system is done, obtaining the results of line tension, catenary shape and safety factor etc. The research results show that the horizontal composite mooring system meets the design requirements and it is proven to be an effective mooring method for the sea area with large current velocity.


Author(s):  
Frank Lemmer (né Sandner) ◽  
Wei Yu ◽  
Po Wen Cheng ◽  
Antonio Pegalajar-Jurado ◽  
Michael Borg ◽  
...  

Different research groups have recently tested scaled floating offshore wind turbines including blade pitch control. A test conducted by the University of Stuttgart (Germany), DTU (Denmark) and CENER (Spain) at the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) in 2016 successfully demonstrated a real-time blade pitch controller on the public 10MW TripleSpar semi-submersible concept at a scale of 1/60. In the presented work a reduced-order simulation model including control is compared against the model tests. The model has only five degrees of freedom and is formulated either in the time-domain or in the frequency-domain. In a first step the Morison drag coefficients are identified from decay tests as well as irregular wave cases. The identified drag coefficients depend clearly on the sea state, with the highest ones for the decay tests and small sea states. This is an important finding, for example for the design of a robust controller, which depends on the system damping. It is shown that the simplified model can well represent the dominant physical effects of the coupled system with a substantially reduced simulation time, compared to state-of-the-art models.


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