Numerical simulation and comparison with experiments of a floating wind turbine using a direct forcing method

Abstract

The open-source Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) code REEF3D is used to simulate the hydrodynamic loads and motion response of a floating wind turbine substructure, the INO WINDMOOR semisubmersible floating wind turbine. REEF3D uses the level set method to model the free surface and the direct forcing method is applied to calculate the hydrodynamic coupling between the fluid and the rigid body of the floater, including six degrees-of-freedom (6DOF) motion response. The numerical simulations are compared with experimental data from the WINDMOOR project for validation of the results, and this includes decay tests in surge, heave and pitch as well as the 6DOF motion of the moored substructure exposed to regular waves. Results show acceptable agreement between experimental and numerical data.