Experimental assessment of scaling laws for offshore floating wind turbines

Details

Supervisors

Soares Frazao, Sandra

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil des constructions, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

Floating offshore wind turbines represent a significant advancement in renewable energy technology, offering the potential to harness stronger and more consistent winds in deeper waters. Given the complexity of floating offshore wind turbine design, reduced-order models have emerged as a valuable tool for efficient design space exploration and system optimisation. This research investigates the critical challenge of scaling methodologies for floating offshore wind turbines through experimental validation of three reduced-scale prototypes representing the principal platform configurations: spar-buoy, semi-submersible, and barge-type. The study addresses the fundamental question of accurately upscaling laboratory-scale floating wind turbine models to commercial full-scale systems while preserving dynamic similarity and structural integrity. The use of reduced-order models in Floating offshore wind turbine sizing and design optimisation offers a promising pathway to overcoming floating wind technology’s complexities. By facilitating efficient design exploration and enabling the evaluation of multiple concepts, these models accelerate the development and deployment of cost-effective floating offshore wind turbines.