Numerical modeling and dynamic response analysis of an integrated semi-submersible floating wind and aquaculture system

Abstract

Floating wind turbines (FWT) are facing the challenges of high cost of energy. Integrating floating wind with offshore aquaculture cages presents a mutually beneficial approach to address cost concerns and maximize overall benefits. This study introduces and numerically models an integrated system, encompassing a self-designed semi-submersible FWT coupled and an aquaculture cage (FWT + AC). Comprehensive, fully coupled aero-hydro-servo-elastic-mooring models for this integrated system are established. Subsequently, the numerical model of the FWT is validated against wave basin model tests. The research further discusses the coupled dynamic response characteristics of the integrated system for both the FWT with and without the aquaculture cage. The results highlight that integrating aquaculture cages leads to an increase in the mean surge response by up to 12.6%, while significantly reducing pitch motion by as much as 7.69% under combined wind, wave, and current conditions. Moreover, the mean mooring loads, particularly for line 4 which faces the direction of wind, wave, and current, do not exhibit an increase of more than 15%. This integration not only enhances the stability of wind power generation under different wind degree, but also minimally impacts the average power generation efficiency, showing a variation of only about 2% under rated wind speed. The findings provide beneficial theoretical support for the design of the integrated FWT + AC system, demonstrating the potential of such integrated systems in promoting offshore sustainable development and enhancing wind energy utilization efficiency.