Assessment of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics interference effects between floating wind turbines in the perfomance of a offshore farm.

• Grant number: 21/06310-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: July 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Transport Phenomena
• Principal Investigator: Bruno Souza Carmo
• Grantee: Luccas Portiolli Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In 2020, wind industry installed 93 GW and its total capacity is, currently, up to 743 GW. Only 4.8% of this value represents the total offshore wind capacity (35 GW). A smaller part of it represents the floating offshore wind capacity. Therefore, the offshore market for floating turbines is incipient, yet very promising. The more uniform wind characteristics and an average wind speed higher than those found onshore provide better conditions for higher energy productivity. As offshore turbines move to deeper water (above 50~60 m depth) in order to access higher wind resources, turbines on floating platforms become more economical than fixed ones. In order to contribute with technology advances in the floating offshore area, the effect of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic interference between turbines of a floating offshore wind farm on energy production and on the stress on the structures will be investigated through numerical modeling and simulation. In this work, Open FAST simulations will be done, coupled to WInc3D solver, to solve the aerodynamic part between turbines, and to the inter Foam solver of Open FOAM to solve the free surface hydrodynamic part. The turbine with which the analyzes will be carried out is the IEA 15 MW mounted on a floating platform of the Spar type. It will be subjected to established environmental and simulation conditions, with turbulence coming from Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of the neutral atmospheric boundary layer. (AU)