Transient response of a TLP-type floating offshore wind turbine under tendon failure conditions. (15th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Haoyu; Zhao, Yongsheng; He, Yanping; Shao, Yanlin; Mao, Wengang; Han, Zhaolong; Huang, Chao; Gu, Xiaoli; Jiang, Zhiyu
• Is Part Of: Ocean engineering. Volume 220(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01-15
• Subjects: Floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) -- Tension leg platform (TLP) -- Tendon failure -- Transient response -- Accidental limit state -- Time-domain analysis -- Coupled aero-hydro-elastic model; Ocean engineering -- Periodicals; Ocean engineering; Periodicals; 620.4162
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.108486
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-8018

Abstract

Abstract: Among various types of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs), the tension leg platform (TLP) floating wind turbines have relatively small motions due to stiff tendons. Similar to TLP applications in the offshore industry, tendon failure may lead to deteriorated stability and large transient responses, which should be considered as part of accidental limit state (ALS) checks at the design stage of the TLP FOWTs. This paper takes the WindStar TLP system as a representative and investigates the transient effects of one-tendon failure on the system responses. A coupled numerical model is first established using the aero-hydro-servo-elastic simulation tool FAST. Subsequent numerical simulations of tendon failure are carried out to consider different tendon breakage and turbine shutdown scenarios in both operational and parked conditions. Response statistics of key design parameters including platform motion, nacelle acceleration, and tendon tension are analyzed. The results indicate that several transient responses of the FOWT under operational conditions may be even higher than the extreme values under 50-year conditions. Our analyses also reveal that the shutdown strategies, if not applied appropriately, may have limited effects in reducing the responses of the FOWT, thus in certain scenarios threaten the safety of the tendon closest to the broken tendon if no other actions are taken. For the considered TLP FOWT, the ALS design requirements dominate over the ultimate limit state requirements. These findings can be relevant to the ALS design of TLP FOWTs. Highlights: A comprehensive study of the transient response of a TLP FOWT under one-tendon failure in different environmental conditions. Several responses of the FOWT under operational conditions are higher than those under 50-year extreme condition. Turbine shutdown could threaten the safety of the tendon closest to the broken tendon in certain scenarios. For the considered FOWT, the accidental limit state requirements dominate over the ultimate limit state requirements.