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Implementation of Substructure Flexibility and Member-Level Load Capabilities for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines in OpenFAST

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1665796· OSTI ID:1665796
OpenFAST is an open-source, physics-based engineering tool applicable to the load analysis of land-based and offshore wind turbines, including floating offshore wind turbines. The substructure for a floating wind turbine has historically been modeled in OpenFAST as a rigid body with hydrodynamic loads lumped at a point, which enabled the tool to predict the global response of the floating substructure but not the structural loads within its individual members. This limitation is an impediment to designing floating substructures - especially newer designs that are more streamlined, flexible, and cost-effective. This paper presents the development of new functionality in OpenFAST to model floating substructure flexibility and member-level loads, as well as the concepts and mathematical background needed to understand and apply it correctly.
Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Wind Energy Technologies Office
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1665796
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-5000-76822; MainId:10466; UUID:150eb75b-1a60-4fe2-9390-550df8db828b; MainAdminID:15131
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English