Summary
The nonlinear dynamics of a novel concept of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWT), able to harvest wind energy in deep-harsh sea waters due to its light-structure design, is investigated under regular sea wave excitation by varying wave height and period parameters to evaluate its heave a pitch system displacements. The system designed by T-Omega Wind is modelled as a multibody structure in CAD and its motions are simulated in a real-time multiphysics Marine Simulator at The National Decommissioning Centre at the University of Aberdeen. Simulations are performed for ``High" and ``Low" Sea States to predict the system's behaviour and calibrated with the system damping coefficients. Simulations are validated with experimental results performed with a 1:60 scaled prototype at the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory (KHL) of the University of Strathclyde. Moreover, feasibility studies of the system, specific dynamic studies and simulations are performed with a designed towing system, which allow the system to be towed to the port for maintenance. The study identified different types of dynamical responses while varying wave parameters proved the modelling approach having achieved good agreement with experimental results. The study confirms that the investigated FOWT concept can operate even under harsh-sea conditions, which is manifested by the maximum heave and pitch amplitudes observed.
