Abstract
Hydrodynamic Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) platform specifications are typically dominated by seaworthiness and maximum operating platform-pitch angle-related requirements. However, such specifications directly impact the challenge posed by an FOWT in terms of control design. The conventional FOWT systems are typically based on large, heavy floating platforms, which are less likely to suffer from the negative damping effect caused by the excessive coupling between blade-pitch control and platform-pitch motion. An advanced control technique is presented here to increase system stability for barge type platforms. Such a technique mitigates platform-pitch motions and improves the generator speed regulation, while maintaining blade-pitch activity and reducing blade and tower loads. The NREL’s 5MW + ITI Energy barge reference model is taken as a basis for this work. Furthermore, the capabilities of the proposed controller for performing with a more compact and less hydrodynamically stable barge platform is analysed, with encouraging results.
Highlights
Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) provide the possibility to reach offshore deep water areas, where wind quality is better: higher wind speed, less turbulence and less severe shear
FOWTs provide the possibility to reach offshore deep water areas, where wind quality is better: higher wind speed, less turbulence and less severe shear. This solves the lack of available emplacements for new onshore wind farms and reduces the visual and noise impact of large scale wind turbines [1]. These FOWT systems present different platform hydrodynamic restoring stiffness depending on the floating technology: spar-buoy, tension leg platforms (TLP) and barge-like or semi-submersible platforms [2]
It is demonstrated that the proposed aerodynamic platform stabiliser (APS) control technique has the potential to improve the performance of the conventional blade-pitch detuned PI control mounted on the more compact platform BD8 barge, which has less hydrodynamic stiffness and presents a higher static platform-pitch inclination than the original ITI Energy barge
Summary
FOWTs provide the possibility to reach offshore deep water areas, where wind quality is better: higher wind speed, less turbulence and less severe shear This solves the lack of available emplacements for new onshore wind farms and reduces the visual and noise impact of large scale wind turbines [1]. These FOWT systems present different platform hydrodynamic restoring stiffness depending on the floating technology: spar-buoy (spar), tension leg platforms (TLP) and barge-like or semi-submersible platforms (barge) [2]. This poses great challenges for control engineering to develop control algorithms able to improve the system performance, and the turbine life-time
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