Optimized mooring solutions for floating offshore wind turbines in harsh environments
Journal
Ocean Engineering
Journal Volume
340
Start Page
122289
ISSN
0029-8018
Date Issued
2025-11-30
Author(s)
Abstract
The mooring system is a critical component of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs). Increased wind turbines in harsher environments necessitate larger mooring sizes and additional lines for redundancy. This study investigates the optimal mooring system for a three-column semi-submersible FOWT in Taiwan Strait, a region characterized by typhoon conditions. A novel mooring concept, V-Share Mooring, is introduced and compared against traditional clustered and spread mooring systems. The V-Share design connects two mooring lines from two columns of the semi-submersible to a single anchor. It utilizes all field-proven mooring components for reduced engineering risk and readiness. It is found that the V-Share mooring can stabilize the floater with smaller platform offset and yaw motions and may provide an opportunity to reduce the floater size. Using polynomial regression with response surface analysis of platform offset and mooring tension, optimal mooring design parameters, including pretension and total chain weight, are determined. A cost comparison provides an apples-to-apples assessment of total mooring procurement and installation expenses. Due to the anchor sharing, the V-Share system can be relatively cost-efficient, offering a reduced mooring footprint, minimized seabed disruption, and improved floater stability. The findings in the study may contribute to improving the economic viability of FOWTs.
Subjects
Floating wind farm
Optimal mooring design
Polynomial regression analysis
Shared anchor
Shared mooring
V-Share mooring
SDGs
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
journal article