Dynamic Analysis of a Truss Spar-Type Floating Foundation for 5 MW Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine

Abstract

This paper studies the dynamic characteristic of the truss Spar-type floating foundation used to support the offshore vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT). The effects of changes in foundation structural parameters on its motions were evaluated. The results show that radius of the buoyancy tank, radius of the upper mechanical tank, interval of the center of gravity and center of buoyancy, and height of the upper mechanical tank have important effects on the heave and pitch motions of the foundation. Two sets of foundation parameters (FS-1 and FS-2) were selected to support the 5 MW Darrieus wind turbine. The motion performances of the two floating VAWTs, S-1 (the VAWT supported by FS-1) and S-2 (the VAWT supported by FS-2), were analyzed and compared. It was observed that the amplitudes of the heave and pitch motions of the floating VAWT depend on the wave loads; the mean values of the heave and pitch motions depend on the aerodynamic loads. The floating VAWT S-2 had better motion performance; its heave and pitch motions were all small. The heave frequencies of the floating VAWT were equal to the wave frequencies. For the pitch frequencies, there is a component of the rotor rotational frequency (0.175 Hz) for cases LC1 to LC4, while the amplitudes of the twice-per-revolution (2P) response are far smaller than the amplitudes of the wave response.