Experimental investigation of advanced turbine control strategies and load-mitigation measures with a model-scale floating offshore wind turbine system

Journal Article · 21 November 2023 · Applied Energy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.122343 · OSTI ID:2229070

Wang, Lu  ^[1]; Bergua, Roger  ^[1]; Robertson, Amy  ^[1]; Wright, Alan ^[1]; Zalkind, Daniel ^[1]; Fowler, Matthew ^[2]; Lenfest, Eben ^[2]; Viselli, Anthony ^[2]; Goupee, Andrew ^[2]; Kimball, Richard ^[2]

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1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
2. University of Maine, Orono, ME (United States)

To advance the control co-design of offshore wind energy systems, the authors perform basin-scale experiments with a fully instrumented and actuated floating offshore wind turbine model. The model consists of a 1:70 scale performance-matched model of the International Energy Agency Wind Technology Collaboration Programme 15-MW reference turbine atop the VolturnUS-S semisubmersible platform. The Reference OpenSource Controller provides real-time blade pitch and generator torque control. Here we aim to develop an open data set for the validation of numerical models in predicting the influence of turbine control and load-mitigation measures. For this purpose, we measure the effects of advanced turbine control features, including peak shaving and floating feedback as well as hull-based control using tuned mass dampers on the system. Overall, the results demonstrate measurable and consistent influences from the control and load-mitigation measures, thus confirming the usefulness as a validation data set. Peak shaving attenuates the response to wind turbulence at near-rated wind speed. Floating feedback reduces the load and platform pitch motion associated with the negative damping induced by blade pitch control. The tuned mass dampers also attenuate the system response near the targeted frequencies under suitable conditions. We also identify detrimental side effects of each load-mitigation measure.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308; AR0001183
• OSTI ID: 2229070
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 2217599
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA--5000-86161; {UUID:c9e60c98-e69a-4961-82c5-37ddd8cd1306,MainId:86934,"Journal ID: ISSN 0306-2619",MainAdminID:70294}
• Journal Information: Applied Energy, Journal Name: Applied Energy Vol. 355; ISSN 0306-2619
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English