A frequency-time domain method for annual energy production estimation in floating wind turbines

Abstract

A new method is proposed to estimate a floating wind turbine’s annual energy production (AEP) using frequency and time-domain design techniques. The approach demonstrated herein estimates the AEP by performing a convolution between the floating platform response and the response power operators (RPOs) that map the average power produced by the turbine as a function of the amplitude and frequency of the platform motions. One advantage of this approach is that it can be performed early in the conceptual design phase to help discover design space trade-offs between the platform and rotor design. The methodology is applied to the IEA Wind 15 MW WindCrete spar-buoy model using OpenFAST. The RPOs are obtained by prescribing single-DOF platform motions to the turbine with a given amplitude and frequency. This methodology is then validated by comparing the AEP estimation from the RPOs with the AEP estimation from fully-coupled simulations. The results indicate that the method is able to estimate the value of AEP for a realistic sea-state and regular waves. However, further validation is needed as, in the first case, the turbine is moving too little and, in the second case, the contribution of the controller may be dominant.