The Effect of Turbulence Model on the Response of a Large Floating Wind Turbine

Abstract

The wind turbine design standards advise choosing one of two recommended turbulence models for load simulations of offshore wind turbines. The difference in fatigue loads for the two turbulence models is relatively small for bottom-fixed wind turbines, but some floating wind turbines show a higher sensitivity to the chosen turbulence model. In this study, the motions and mooring line fatigue damage of two semi-submersible floating wind turbines are investigated for three different wind speeds: 8 m/s, 14 m/s and 20 m/s, and three different wave states for each wind speed. For both concepts, the CSC 5 MW and the CSC 10 MW, the low-frequency surge response is important for the mooring line tension, and the simulations using the Kaimal turbulence model give the largest variation in tension at the surge eigenfrequency. However, using the Mann turbulence model in the load simulations give a higher response in the range of the blade passing frequency (3P). The CSC 10 MW has a higher aerodynamic thrust relative to the CSC 5 MW, and will therefore have a larger surge response at the lower frequencies than the CSC 5 MW. At the lowest wind speed, where the variation in mooring line tension at surge eigenfrequency is high, the fatigue damage is larger if the Kaimal turbulence model is applied to the load simulations. However, at the highest wind speed, using the Mann turbulence model in the simulations, give a higher mooring line fatigue damage.