A Novel Semi-Submersible Floating Wind Turbine Platform Design Based on Tuned Liquid Column Dampers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baijin Mao ◽  
Jili Sun ◽  
Zecheng Tang ◽  
Bo Feng ◽  
Weijie Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Liquid Column ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Platform Design ◽  
Main Column ◽  
Liquid Column Dampers

Abstract Floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) has been a hot research topic in recent years due to its great potential in deep sea wind energy harvesting. However, the floating platforms will introduce additional degrees of freedom to the system, which results in much more ultimate and fatigue loads onto the wind turbine structure compared with fixed bottom types. The load issue has been the major design challenge in developing FOWTs. In this paper, we report a novel semi-submersible supporting platform design, named MUsupport, aiming to improve the dynamic responses and reduce loads for FOWTs. The proposed semi-submersible MUsupport is mainly composed of one main column attached to the tower and four offset columns. Particularly, instead of simply filled with ballast water, the four columns act as four tuned liquid column dampers (TLCDs), and the oscillating liquid inside the TLCDs is supposed to help improve the dynamic responses of the semi-submersible platform, thus reducing the loads. The sizing of these TLCDs are determined by frequency analysis, and the detailed structural properties for MUsupport are described in this paper. Additionally, in order to better study the damping effects of the TLCDs, the dynamic model of MUsupport FOWT in the pitch-surge-heave plane is derived based on the Lagrangian approach, and free decay simulation test is performed. It can be observed from the results that the introduction of TLCDs will bring more damping to the system dynamics, which is helpful for FOWT load reduction. Note that this is only preliminary study, and future works will comprehensively investigate its hydrodynamic and mooring behaviors of MUsupport, and aero-hydro-servo-elastic numerical simulations or experimental tests should be performed to further verify its effectiveness.

Model Test and Numerical Analysis of an Offshore Bottom Fixed Pentapod Wind Turbine Under Seismic Loads

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhua Wang ◽  
Zhen Gao ◽  
Xin Li ◽  
Torgeir Moan ◽  
Bin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Wave ◽  
Seismic Analysis ◽  
Wind Farms ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Test Model ◽  
Structural Dynamic ◽  
Load Conditions

In the last decade the wind energy industry has developed rapidly in China, especially offshore. For a water depth less than 20m, monopile and multi-pile substructures (tripod, pentapod) are applied widely in offshore wind farms. Some wind farms in China are located in high seismicity regions, thus, the earthquake load may become the dominant load for offshore wind turbines. This paper deals with the seismic behavior of an offshore wind turbine (OWT) consisting of the NREL 5MW baseline wind turbine, a pentapod substructure and a pile foundation of a real offshore wind turbine in China. A test model of the OWT is designed based on the hydro-elastic similarity. Test cases of different load combinations are performed with the environmental conditions generated by the Joint Earthquake, Wave and Current Simulation System and the Simple Wind Field Generation System at Dalian University of Technology, China, in order to investigate the structural dynamic responses under different load conditions. In the tests, a circular disk is used to model the rotor-nacelle system, and a force gauge is fixed at the center of the disk to measure the wind forces during the tests. A series of accelerometers are arranged along the model tower and the pentapod piles, and strain gauges glued on the substructure members are intended to measure the structural dynamic responses. A finite element model of the complete wind turbine is also established in order to compare the theoretical results with the test data. The hydro-elastic similarity is validated based on the comparison of the measured dynamic characteristics and the results of the prototype modal analysis. The numerical results agree well with the experimental data. Based on the comparisons of the results, the effect of the wind and sea loads on the structural responses subjected to seismic is demonstrated, especially the influence on the global response of the structure. It is seen that the effect of the combined seismic, wind, wave and current load conditions can not be simply superimposed. Hence the interaction effect in the seismic analysis should be considered when the wind, wave and current loads have a non-negligible effect.

Study on the Dynamic Response for Floating Foundation of Offshore Wind Turbine

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yougang Tang ◽  
Jun Hu ◽  
Liqin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Farm ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Wave Load ◽  
Mooring Lines ◽  
Floating Foundation ◽  
Wind Turbine System ◽  
Sea Area

The wind resources for ocean power generation are mostly distributed in sea areas with the distance of 5–50km from coastline, whose water depth are generally over 20m. To improve ocean power output and economic benefit of offshore wind farm, it is necessary to choose floating foundation for offshore wind turbine. According to the basic data of a 600kW wind turbine with a horizontal shaft, the tower, semi-submersible foundation and mooring system are designed in the 60-meter-deep sea area. Precise finite element models of the floating wind turbine system are established, including mooring lines, floating foundation, tower and wind turbine. Dynamic responses for the floating foundation of offshore wind turbine are investigated under wave load in frequency domain.

Experimental Investigation on the Dynamic Response of a Three Legged Articulated Type Offshore Wind Tower

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinsu Mereena Joy ◽  
Anitha Joseph ◽  
Lalu Mangal
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Response ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Offshore Structures ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Ocean Engineering ◽  
Study Results

Demand for renewable energy sources is rapidly increasing since they are able to replace depleting fossil fuels and their capacity to act as a carbon neutral energy source. A substantial amount of such clean, renewable and reliable energy potential exists in offshore winds. The major engineering challenge in establishing an offshore wind energy facility is the design of a reliable and financially viable offshore support for the wind turbine tower. An economically feasible support for an offshore wind turbine is a compliant platform since it moves with wave forces and offer less resistance to them. Amongst the several compliant type offshore structures, articulated type is an innovative one. It is flexibly linked to the seafloor and can move along with the waves and restoring is achieved by large buoyancy force. This study focuses on the experimental investigations on the dynamic response of a three-legged articulated structure supporting a 5MW wind turbine. The experimental investigations are done on a 1: 60 scaled model in a 4m wide wave flume at the Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. The tests were conducted for regular waves of various wave periods and wave heights and for various orientations of the platform. The dynamic responses are presented in the form of Response Amplitude Operators (RAO). The study results revealed that the proposed articulated structure is technically feasible in supporting an offshore wind turbine because the natural frequencies are away from ocean wave frequencies and the RAOs obtained are relatively small.

scholarly journals Mooring Line Damping Estimation for a Floating Wind Turbine

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongsheng Qiao ◽  
Jinping Ou
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Excitation Amplitude ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Excitation Period

The dynamic responses of mooring line serve important functions in the station keeping of a floating wind turbine (FWT). Mooring line damping significantly influences the global motions of a FWT. This study investigates the estimation of mooring line damping on the basis of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 5 MW offshore wind turbine model that is mounted on the ITI Energy barge. A numerical estimation method is derived from the energy absorption of a mooring line resulting from FWT motion. The method is validated by performing a 1/80 scale model test. Different parameter changes are analyzed for mooring line damping induced by horizontal and vertical motions. These parameters include excitation amplitude, excitation period, and drag coefficient. Results suggest that mooring line damping must be carefully considered in the FWT design.

Structural Control of an Ultra-Large Semi-Submersible Floating Offshore Wind Turbine

2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixin Zhao ◽  
Wenhua Wang ◽  
Dongdong Han ◽  
Wei Shi ◽  
Yulin Si ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Structural Control ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Vibration Suppression ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Floating Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Proposed Model

Abstract A braceless semi-submersible floating platform is proposed for a Technical University of Denmark (DTU) 10-MW wind turbine at moderate water depths with reference to an existing National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5-MW braceless semi-submersible floating platform, and a servo control system for a 10-MW semi-submersible floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) is introduced. To control the ultimate and fatigue loads of the FOWT, a fore-aft tuned mass damper (TMD) installed in the nacelle of the 10-MW semi-submersible FOWT was investigated for vibration alleviation and load reduction. Considering the hydrodynamic and mooring effect, a four degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) (platform surge and pitch motions, tower fore-aft bending, and TMD translation) simplified dynamic model for the 10-MW semi-submersible FOWT is established based on D’Alembert’s principle. Then, the parameter estimation is conducted based on the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm, and the simplified dynamic model was further verified by comparing the output responses with FAST and the proposed model. Furthermore, the exhaustive search (ES) and genetic algorithm (GA) are embedded into the simplified dynamic model to optimize the TMD parameters. Finally, a fully coupled time-domain simulation for all the selected environmental conditions is conducted in FAST, and the vibration suppression performance of the optimized TMD design for the 10-W semi-submersible FOWT was further examined and analyzed.

Global Responses and Loads Analysis of a 750-kW Semi-Submersible Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Under Extreme Environmental Conditions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Dam Pham ◽  
Junbae Kim ◽  
Byoungcheon Seo ◽  
Rupesh Kumar ◽  
Youngjae Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
East Sea ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Test Model ◽  
Scaled Model ◽  
Floating Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Extreme Loads

Abstract A pilot floating offshore wind turbine project of Korea was proposed for installing in the East Sea of Korea. The prototype is a semisubmersible platform supporting a 750-kW wind turbine. A scaled model was tested in the basin tank of the University of Ulsan at scale ratio 1:40. The 750-kW floating offshore wind turbine was modeled by using the NREL-FAST code. Numerical results were validated by comparing with those of the test model. This paper analyzes dynamic responses and loads of the wind turbine system under extreme environmental conditions. Extreme environmental conditions based on metocean data of East Sea Korea. Extreme responses and extreme loads are important data for designing the structure of the 750 kW semi-submersible floating offshore wind turbine.

Dynamic Responses of a Spar Type Floating Offshore Wind Turbine With Failed Moorings

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajun Ren ◽  
Vengatesan Venugopal
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Mooring System ◽  
Floating Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbines ◽  
Floating Offshore Wind Turbines ◽  
Platform Motions

Abstract The complex dynamic characteristics of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWTs) have raised wider consideration, as they are likely to experience harsher environments and higher instabilities than the bottom fixed offshore wind turbines. Safer design of a mooring system is critical for floating offshore wind turbine structures for station keeping. Failure of mooring lines may lead to further destruction, such as significant changes to the platform’s location and possible collisions with a neighbouring platform and eventually complete loss of the turbine structure may occur. The present study focuses on the dynamic responses of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)’s OC3-Hywind spar type floating platform with a NREL offshore 5-MW baseline wind turbine under failed mooring conditions using the fully coupled numerical simulation tool FAST. The platform motions in surge, heave and pitch under multiple scenarios are calculated in time-domain. The results describing the FOWT motions in the form of response amplitude operators (RAOs) and spectral densities are presented and discussed in detail. The results indicate that the loss of the mooring system firstly leads to longdistance drift and changes in platform motions. The natural frequencies and the energy contents of the platform motion, the RAOs of the floating structures are affected by the mooring failure to different degrees.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document