Beyond many of Earth's coasts exists a vast deepwater wind resource that can be tapped to provide substantial amounts of clean, renewable energy. However, much of this resource resides in waters deeper than 60 m where current fixed bottom wind turbine technology is no longer economically viable. As a result, many are looking to floating wind turbines as a means of harnessing this deepwater offshore wind resource. The preferred floating platform technology for this application, however, is currently up for debate. To begin the process of assessing the unique behavior of various platform concepts for floating wind turbines, 1/50th scale model tests in a wind/wave basin were performed at the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) of three floating wind turbine concepts. The Froude scaled tests simulated the response of the 126 m rotor diameter National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) 5 MW, horizontal axis Reference Wind Turbine attached via a flexible tower in turn to three distinct platforms, these being a tension leg-platform, a spar-buoy, and a semisubmersible. A large number of tests were performed ranging from simple free-decay tests to complex operating conditions with irregular sea states and dynamic winds. The high-quality wind environments, unique to these tests, were realized in the offshore basin via a novel wind machine, which exhibited low swirl and turbulence intensity in the flow field. Recorded data from the floating wind turbine models include rotor torque and position, tower top and base forces and moments, mooring line tensions, six-axis platform motions, and accelerations at key locations on the nacelle, tower, and platform. A comprehensive overview of the test program, including basic system identification results, is covered in previously published works. In this paper, the results of a comprehensive data analysis are presented, which illuminate the unique coupled system behavior of the three floating wind turbines subjected to combined wind and wave environments. The relative performance of each of the three systems is discussed with an emphasis placed on global motions, flexible tower dynamics, and mooring system response. The results demonstrate the unique advantages and disadvantages of each floating wind turbine platform.
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University of Maine,
Orono, ME 04469
e-mail: agoupe91@maine.edu
Houston, TX 77079
Castine, ME 04420
Houston, TX 77079
University of Maine,
Orono, ME 04469
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Special Section Articles
Experimental Comparison of Three Floating Wind Turbine Concepts
Andrew J. Goupee,
University of Maine,
Orono, ME 04469
e-mail: agoupe91@maine.edu
Andrew J. Goupee
1
Advanced Structures and Composites Center
,University of Maine,
35 Flagstaff Road
,Orono, ME 04469
e-mail: agoupe91@maine.edu
1Corresponding author.
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Bonjun J. Koo,
Houston, TX 77079
Bonjun J. Koo
Technip USA, Inc.
,11700 Katy Freeway, Suite 150
,Houston, TX 77079
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Richard W. Kimball,
Castine, ME 04420
Richard W. Kimball
Maine Maritime Academy
,54 Pleasant Street
,Castine, ME 04420
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Kostas F. Lambrakos,
Houston, TX 77079
Kostas F. Lambrakos
Technip USA, Inc.
,11700 Katy Freeway, Suite 150
,Houston, TX 77079
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Habib J. Dagher
University of Maine,
Orono, ME 04469
Habib J. Dagher
Advanced Structures and Composites Center
,University of Maine,
35 Flagstaff Road
,Orono, ME 04469
Search for other works by this author on:
Andrew J. Goupee
Advanced Structures and Composites Center
,University of Maine,
35 Flagstaff Road
,Orono, ME 04469
e-mail: agoupe91@maine.edu
Bonjun J. Koo
Technip USA, Inc.
,11700 Katy Freeway, Suite 150
,Houston, TX 77079
Richard W. Kimball
Maine Maritime Academy
,54 Pleasant Street
,Castine, ME 04420
Kostas F. Lambrakos
Technip USA, Inc.
,11700 Katy Freeway, Suite 150
,Houston, TX 77079
Habib J. Dagher
Advanced Structures and Composites Center
,University of Maine,
35 Flagstaff Road
,Orono, ME 04469
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Ocean, Offshore, and Arctic Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF OFFSHORE MECHANICS AND ARCTIC ENGINEERING. Manuscript received January 13, 2013; final manuscript received August 5, 2013; published online March 24, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Krish Thiagarajan.
J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng. May 2014, 136(2): 020906 (9 pages)
Published Online: March 24, 2014
Article history
Received:
January 13, 2013
Revision Received:
August 5, 2013
Citation
Goupee, A. J., Koo, B. J., Kimball, R. W., Lambrakos, K. F., and Dagher, H. J. (March 24, 2014). "Experimental Comparison of Three Floating Wind Turbine Concepts." ASME. J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng. May 2014; 136(2): 020906. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025804
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