Non-Linear 3D Hydrodynamics of Floating Wind Turbine Compared Against Wave Tank Tests

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolai F. Heilskov ◽  
Ole Svenstrup Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Wave Structure ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Body Motion ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Floating Body ◽  
Wave Tank ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine

Assessment of wave-structure interaction in terms of combined hydrodynamic stability and structural survivability is paramount in extreme wave conditions. Components of CFD methodologies needed for accurately capturing the detailed motion of a floating wind turbine (FWT) in survival sea-state is the focus of the study. Physical wave tank tests of a Tension Leg Platform (TLP) concept with four moorings are applied as a first validation, due to its simplicity from a CFD point of view. Two different codes have been objects of study, namely the open source code OpenFOAM® with a flexible mesh approach and the commercial CFD code StarCCM+ with the overset mesh method. The influence of the surface capturing algorithm (VOF method) and the two-way coupling of the six degrees-of-freedom body motion solver and the hydrodynamic solver have been identified as the crucial components in CFD simulation of the FWT. A major advantage of StarCCM+ was that it does not suffer from the same sensitivity as OpenFOAM to the fact that motion of the floating body is strongly coupled to the solution of the hydrodynamics (a stiff FSI problem) which led to instability of the numerical solution. The results obtained with StarCCM+ are comparable with the measured motion of and tension forces on the TLP in both in regular waves and irregular waves.

Hybrid Scaled Testing of a 5MW Floating Wind Turbine Using the SiL Method Compared With Numerical Models

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Vittori ◽  
Faisal Bouchotrouch ◽  
Frank Lemmer ◽  
José Azcona
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Hydrodynamic Forces ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Global Dynamics ◽  
Aerodynamic Forces ◽  
Wave Tank ◽  
Aerodynamic Damping ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine

The design of floating wind turbines requires both, simulation tools and scaled testing methods, accurately integrating the different phenomena involved in the system dynamics, such as the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces, the mooring lines dynamics and the control strategies. In particular, one of the technical challenges when testing a scaled floating wind turbine in a wave tank is the proper integration of the rotor aerodynamic thrust. The scaling of the model based on the Froude number produces equivalent hydrodynamic forces, but out of scale aerodynamic forces at the rotor, because the Reynolds number, that governs the aerodynamic forces, is not kept constant. Several approaches have been taken to solve this conflict, like using a tuned drag disk or redesigning the scaled rotor to provide the correct scaled thrust at low Reynolds numbers. This work proposes a hybrid method for the integration of the aerodynamic thrust during the scaled tests. The work also explores the agreement between the experimental measurements and the simulation results through the calibration and improvement of the numerical models. CENER has developed a hybrid testing method that replaces the rotor by a ducted fan at the model tower top. The fan can introduce a variable force which represents the total wind thrust by the rotor. This load is obtained from an aerodynamic simulation that is performed in synchrony with the test and it is fed in real time with the displacements of the platform provided by the acquisition system. Thus, the simulation considers the displacements of the turbine within the wind field and the relative wind speed on the rotor, including the effect of the aerodynamic damping on the tests. The method has been called “Software-in-the-Loop” (SiL). The method has been applied on a test campaign at the Ecole Centrale de Nantes wave tank of the OC4 semisubmersible 5MW wind turbine, with a scale factor of 1/45. The experimental results have been compared with equivalent numerical simulations of the floating wind turbine using the integrated code FAST. Simple cases as only steady wind and free decays with constant wind showed a good agreement with computations, demonstrating that the SiL method is able to successfully introduce the rotor scaled thrust and the effect of the aerodynamic damping on the global dynamics. Cases with turbulent wind and irregular waves showed better agreement with the simulations when mooring line dynamics and second order effects were included in the numerical models.

Short-Term Extreme Motions of a Spar Floating Wind Turbine Estimated Through a 1:30 At-Sea Experiment

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Ruzzo ◽  
Nilanjan Saha ◽  
Felice Arena
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Extreme Values ◽  
Model Structure ◽  
Ocean Engineering ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Spar Platform ◽  
Six Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Scale Models

The present paper deals with the estimation of the short-term extreme motions of a spar floating wind turbine in parked rotor conditions, through a 1:30 at-sea experiment, carried out at the Natural Ocean Engineering Laboratory (NOEL) of Reggio Calabria (Italy). Thanks to some favorable local environmental conditions of the site, several wind-generated sea states with relatively low significant wave height (Hs < 0.50 m) have been collected during the experiment. These sea states are scale models of ocean storms, which are relevant hydrodynamic design conditions for the spar platform. The 30-minutes extreme values of the model structure motions have been estimated for all the six degrees of freedom, using the Weibull Tail Method (WTM), and the results obtained are presented in the paper. Such estimations are 1:30 scale models of the 3-hours extreme values of the spar motions in parked rotor conditions and may be directly used for design purposes.

Low‐frequency dynamics of a floating wind turbine in wave tank–scaled experiments with SiL hybrid method

Wind Energy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1402-1413 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Azcona ◽  
Faisal Bouchotrouch ◽  
Felipe Vittori
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Hybrid Method ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Wave Tank ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine

Unstable Motion of a Floating Structure in Surface Waves

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongmei Yan ◽  
Yuming Liu ◽  
Yile Li
Keyword(s):  
Natural Frequencies ◽  
Wave Structure ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Motion ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Nonlinear Instability ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Floating Structure ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Sum Frequency

Unstable resonant heave and pitch motions of a floating deep draft platform, under the action of a regular wave with the frequency equal to the sum of the heave and pitch natural frequencies, can be developed by nonlinear instability (Liu, Yan & Yung 2010). The instability is associated with difference-frequency interactions between the body motion and the ambient wave. In this work, we study the effect of the nonlinear instability upon floating platforms with relatively shallow drafts whose wave damping at heave/pitch natural frequencies may not be small. Direct time-domain numerical simulations of wave-structure interactions, which can take into account different levels of nonlinearity effects, are applied to understand the characteristics of the unstable coupled heave/pitch (or heave/roll) resonant motion and its dependence on the key physical factors. In particular, it is found that such a nonlinear instability at other wave conditions involving sum-frequency interactions between the body motion and the ambient wave can also occur. For practical applications, long-time nonlinear simulations with irregular waves are also performed. The results show that depending on the sea conditions and damping in the system, the unstable resonant motion associated with the nonlinear instability can be significant for platforms with shallow drafts.

Global Analysis of a Floating Wind Turbine Using an Aero-Hydro-Elastic Numerical Model: Part 2—Benchmark Study

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Luxcey ◽  
Harald Ormberg ◽  
Elizabeth Passano
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Benchmark Study ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Calm Water ◽  
Internal Forces ◽  
System Power

This paper describes and presents the results of a benchmark study of a floating wind turbine numerical model that includes aero- and hydro-elasticity. The modelled wind turbine is the NREL offshore 5 MW baseline wind turbine whose specifications are publicly available. The first part of this paper demonstrates the importance of including aeroelasticity and hydroelasticity in the system. Power production, internal forces and motion amplitudes are compared to results from models using a rigid tower and rigid blades. Comparisons are performed for different weather conditions such as calm water, regular and irregular waves, constant and varying wind. The consequences of including elasticity in the different parts of the model are studied. The second part of the paper presents a benchmark study against the codes of the Offshore Code Comparison Collaboration. The floater motions, blade and tower deflection and power generation are presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Integrated Optimization of Floating Wind Turbine Systems

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Sandner ◽  
David Schlipf ◽  
Denis Matha ◽  
Po Wen Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Dynamic Models ◽  
Controller Design ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Wave Loads ◽  
Nonlinear Simulation ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbine System

The purpose of this paper is to show an exemplary methodology for the integrated conceptioning of a floating wind turbine system with focus on the spar-type hull and the wind turbine blade-pitch-to-feather controller. It is a special interest to use a standard controller, which is easily implementable, even at early design stages. The optimization of the system is done with adapted static and dynamic models through a stepwise narrowing of the design space according to the requirements of floating wind turbines. After selecting three spar-type hull geometries with variable draft a simplified nonlinear simulation model with four degrees of freedom is set up and then linearized including the aerodynamics with the blade pitch controller in the closed-loop. The linear system allows conventional procedures for SISO controller design giving a theoretically suitable range of controller gains. Subsequently, the nonlinear model is used to find the optimal controller gains for each platform. Finally, a nonlinear coupled model with nine degrees of freedom gives the optimal solution under realistic wind and wave loads.

scholarly journals Wear Performance of the Mooring Chain Used in Floating Wind Turbines

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koji Gotoh ◽  
Koji Murakami ◽  
Masataka Nakagawa ◽  
Tomoaki Utsunomiya
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Tensile Force ◽  
Wear Test ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Floating Body ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Wear Evaluation ◽  
Mooring Chain

To produce offshore wind power generation plants, deep-sea floating wind turbine facilities are required. Commercial installation of floating wind turbine facilities requires a reduction of the mooring cost. Mooring chain breaks due to progressive wear will lead to enormous damages. Therefore, a quantitative wear evaluation method for mooring chains needs to be established. In this study, an experimental setup was constructed to reproduce the wearing phenomenon in mooring chains due to the motion of the floating body induced by waves, and its usefulness was confirmed. The result of the wear test conducted in this study suggests that the tensile force between links affects the degree of wear. Additionally, numerical simulations were performed using a finite element model with measured wear characteristics of the link material to reproduce the phenomenon of wear between links and confirmed that the wear phenomenon could be represented by numerical simulation.

scholarly journals Proposal of a Novel Mooring System Using Three-Bifurcated Mooring Lines for Spar-Type Off-Shore Wind Turbines

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8303
Author(s):  
Shi Liu ◽  
Yi Yang ◽  
Chengyuan Wang ◽  
Yuangang Tu ◽  
Zhenqing Liu
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Line Length ◽  
Torsional Stiffness ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Mooring System ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Mooring Lines ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine

Floating wind turbine vibration controlling becomes more and more important with the increase in wind turbine size. Thus, a novel three-bifurcated mooring system is proposed for Spar-type floating wind turbines. Compared with the original mooring system using three mooring lines, three-bifurcated sub-mooring-lines are added into the novel mooring system. Specifically, each three-bifurcated sub-mooring-line is first connected to a Spar-type platform using three fairleads, then it is connected to the anchor using the main mooring line. Six fairleads are involved in the proposed mooring system, theoretically resulting in larger overturning and torsional stiffness. For further improvement, a clump mass is attached onto the main mooring lines of the proposed mooring system. The wind turbine surge, pitch, and yaw movements under regular and irregular waves are calculated to quantitatively examine the mooring system performances. A recommended configuration for the proposed mooring system is presented: the three-bifurcated sub-mooring-line and main mooring line lengths should be (0.0166, 0.0111, 0.0166) and 0.9723 times the total mooring line length in the traditional mooring system. The proposed mooring system can at most reduce the wind turbine surge movement 37.15% and 54.5% when under regular and irregular waves, respectively, and can at most reduce the yaw movement 30.1% and 40% when under regular and irregular waves, respectively.

Coupling of Two Tools for the Simulation of Floating Wind Turbines

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Gueydon ◽  
Koert Lindenburg ◽  
Feike Savenije
Keyword(s):  
Computer Program ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Domain Model ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Floating Body ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

For the design of a floating wind turbine it is necessary to take the loading due to the wind, wave and current in equal consideration. The PHATAS computer program from ECN (Energy research Centre of the Netherlands) is a time-domain aero-elastic simulation program, that accounts for the complete mutual interaction of unsteady rotor aerodynamics, structural dynamics of the rotor blades and tower, and interaction with the turbine controller under influence of turbulent wind and wave loading for fixed wind turbines. The aNySIM computer program from MARIN is a multi rigid body time domain model that accounts for wave loadings, current loadings, wind loadings, floating body dynamics, mooring dynamics. The coupled computer program aNySIM / PHATAS accounts for all loadings acting on a floating wind turbine and its response whereas PHATAS can only be used for fixed wind turbines onshore and offshore. This paper reports on the dynamic coupling between PHATAS and aNySIM. As a typical case study, the controller for floating offshore wind turbines is evaluated. This new tool has been used to repeat phase IV of the Offshore Code Comparison Collaboration (OC3) within IEA Wind Task 23, regarding floating wind turbine modelling. The results of these simulations are presented in this paper.

The unsteady aerodynamics of floating wind turbine under platform pitch motion

2018 ◽  
Vol 232 (8) ◽  
pp. 1019-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Shen ◽  
Ping Hu ◽  
Jinge Chen ◽  
Xiaocheng Zhu ◽  
Zhaohui Du
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Unsteady Aerodynamics ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Pitch Motion ◽  
Floating Wind Turbine ◽  
Fixed Base ◽  
Turbine Rotors

The aerodynamic performance of floating platform wind turbines is much more complex than fixed-base wind turbines because of the flexibility of the floating platform. Due to the extra six degrees-of-freedom of the floating platform, the inflow of the wind turbine rotors is highly influenced by the motions of the floating platform. It is therefore of interest to study the unsteady aerodynamics of the wind turbine rotors involved with the interaction of the floating platform induced motions. In the present work, a lifting surface method with a free wake model is developed for analysis of the unsteady aerodynamics of wind turbines. The aerodynamic performance of the NREL 5 MW floating wind turbine under the prescribed floating platform pitch motion is studied. The unsteady aerodynamic loads, the transient of wind turbine states, and the instability of the wind turbine wakes are discussed in detail.

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