Modeling and dynamic response analysis of a submersible floating offshore wind turbine integrated with an aquaculture cage

Abstract

To reduce the investment payback period of offshore wind farms, an offshore wind turbine can be combined with an aquaculture cage. This paper proposes a new concept of a floating offshore wind turbine integrated with a steel aquaculture cage named the FOWT-AC. The structural properties of the proposed integrated system are described in detail. The NREL 5-MW offshore baseline wind turbine is selected as a representative, and a steel aquaculture cage is designed to match the wind turbine. The performance of the integrated FOWT-AC system is examined by a fully coupled aero-hydro-elastic-servo-mooring model, which is established using the FAST and AQWA software. The simulation results obtained under combined turbulent wind and irregular wave conditions show that the designed pitch-torque control system can adjust the electrical power output well, ensuring that the integrated system operates normally. Finally, this study provides an idea of conceptual design, modeling, and simulation analysis for the integrated FOWT-AC system.