Utilizing TLCD (Tuned Liquid Column Damper) in Floating Wind Turbines

Abstract

Among the floating wind turbine support concepts for carrying large-scale wind turbines, the barge type is more simple and inexpensive to install. The ability to install barge type platforms over a broad range of sea depths increases the number of site options suitable for its installation. Although there are several advantages related to barge type platforms, its significant angular motions which induce dynamic loads in the rotor, tower and drivetrain, hinder its commercial development. In this study, a single degree-of-freedom TLCD (Tuned Liquid Column Damper), which is placed on the turbine’s tower, is incorporated into a modified version of the aero-elastic code FAST. The response of a floating wind turbine with a barge type support controlled by a TLCD subjected to couple hydrodynamic and aerodynamic loads is investigated. The solution of multi degree-of-freedom floating wind turbine coupled with a TLCD dynamic system is done by a sequential method. In this method, two coupled systems of nonlinear differential equations are solved separately by a modified version of FAST in which an added module solves the nonlinear differential equation of motion of the TLCD. The results are compared to the baseline system. The results indicate that this passive type control approach can be used to improve the structural response of floating wind turbines.