Second Order Wave Force Effects on Tension Leg Platform Wind Turbines in Misaligned Wind and Waves

Abstract

Although the majority of studies of tension leg platform wind turbines (TLPWTs) have focused on aligned wind and wave conditions, it is not uncommon for the wind and waves to be significantly misaligned. Wind-wave misalignment is expected to influence both ultimate and fatigue loads. The present work compares the dynamic response of a representative TLPWT in both aligned and misaligned wind and wave conditions, with and without second order sum-frequency potential forces. The contribution of the second order loads to the maximum stress and to the short-term fatigue damage at the tower base, tower top, and tendon fairleads is examined for several operational conditions. The same TLPWT with softened tendons is also studied in order to examine the sensitivity of the results to the system natural frequencies. The fatigue damage decreased in misaligned wind and wave conditions, but the effect of second order forces increased. For the soft TLPWT design, second order forces had an important effect on fatigue in both aligned and misaligned conditions. Despite the increase in side-side loading in misaligned conditions, aligned conditions were associated with larger maximum stresses (in operational conditions).