Long-term power and mooring fatigue evaluation of a 15-MW semi-submersible floating wind turbine in the Hsinchu offshore area
Journal
Ocean Engineering
Journal Volume
341
Start Page
122481
ISSN
0029-8018
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Author(s)
Abstract
This study presents the first comprehensive long-term evaluation of power production and mooring fatigue for a semi-submersible 15-MW floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT), TaidaFloat, in the Taiwan Strait, achieved through a novel numerical framework that integrates viscous effects from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) into potential-flow models. The framework enables accurate simulation of FOWT dynamics under site-specific environmental conditions at the Hsinchu offshore area. Extensive simulations are carried out using on-site buoy measurements, covering multiple sea states and wave directions representative of the region. Results show that while viscosity influences hydrodynamic coefficients, its impact on long-term platform motions, mooring tensions and power predictions remains limited. Platform responses are governed by resonant frequencies (0.03–0.06 Hz), avoiding the dominant wave range in the Taiwan Strait (0.1–0.2 Hz). Fatigue damage estimates for mooring lines (nominal diameter 0.297 m) are higher in potential-flow models (0.485) than in CFD (0.328), exceeding DNV's design limits (0.125–0.2). Power production closely follows the IEA 15-MW turbine curve, averaging ∼7.7 MW (capacity factor ∼0.51). These findings demonstrate the framework's robustness for FOWT analysis and its potential to optimize designs for various environmental conditions, supporting offshore wind energy development.
Subjects
Floating offshore wind turbine
Hydrodynamic analysis
Mooring fatigue
Power production prediction
Semi-submersible platform
SDGs
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
journal article