Investigating the aerodynamic performance of a model offshore floating wind turbine

Understanding the impact of wave-induced dynamic effects on the aerodynamic performance of Offshore Floating Wind Turbines (OFWTs) is crucial towards developing cost-effective floating wind turbines to harness wind energy in deep water sites. The complexity of the wake of an OFWT has not yet been fully understood. Measurements and numerical simulations are essential. An experiment to investigate the aerodynamics of a model OFWT was undertaken at the University of Malta. Established experimental techniques used to analyse fixed HAWTs were applied and modified for the floating turbine condition. The effects of wave induced motions on the rotor aerodynamic variables were analysed in detail. An open source free-wake vortex code was also used to examine whether certain phenomena observed in the experiments could be reproduced numerically by the lifting line method. Results from hot wire measurements and free-wake vortex simulations have shown that for OFWTs surge-induced torque fluctuations are evident. At high λ a discrepancy in the mean CP between the fixed and floating conditions was found from measurements and numerical simulations.