Collaborative Research: Simulation Based Design for Deep Water Offshore Wind Turbines Including Wave Loads and Motions

Tuskegee University, Tuskegee Institute AL

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Collaborative Proposal 1066873 Xing 1066627 Carrica The PIs will develop a high performance Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool capable of simulating the aero-hydroelastic problem of offshore wind turbines. The tool is based on the general-purpose CFD code CFDShip-Iowa, which uses state-of-the-art technology and has been validated for many applications in ship hydrodynamics and onshore wind turbines for a wide range of conditions. The PIs plan to develop the CFD tool by implementing an (incompressible) viscous flow Navier-Stokes equation solver (justified by low tip speeds of utility-scale wind turbines) and the use of full 3-D grids that will resolve the full geometry of the rotor (rotating blades), the nacelle, and the tower. Regular and random waves will be studied; tip vortices and other turbulent structures will be modeled using detached eddy simulation. The proposal builds on previous work performed by the PIs which includes fluid structure interaction. The work is potentially transformative in that the proposed project will provide the wind turbine community with a validated, high fidelity tool to guide the design of offshore wind turbines. In terms of broader impacts, the simulation based design tool can be used by the wind turbine community to increase the efficiency of offshore wind turbines while minimizing turbine and tower vibrations. There is the potential to make substantial contributions to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States including reductions of imports and greenhouse gases. Although offshore wind farms have been developed in Europe, no offshore wind farms have been built in the US, and domestically developed design tools may be helpful in advancing American competitiveness in this area. The PIs will promote teaching, training and learning while conducting the research, particularly with respect to underrepresented groups for the lead PI at Tuskegee University.