A Comprehensive Study on the Serbuoys Offshore Wind Tension Leg Platform Coupling Dynamic Response under Typical Operational Conditions

Abstract

A new type of offshore wind tension leg platform (TLP) connected with a series of buoys (Serbuoys-TLP) is proposed. With the consideration of coupling effect, derivations on the stiffness of the Serbuoys-TLP mooring lines are given. The complicated coupling motion characteristics of the TLP with buoys system are investigated by means of experiments and numerical analysis. The suppressive efficiency on the surge under some condition is nearly 68%, when the wave period is the common wave period of the East China Sea (6 s). Namely, the suppressive effect of series buoys on surge motion response of TLP is analyzed. Through several aspects of suppressive effect on the surge including wave properties, submerge volume and position of buoys are investigated. The modal analysis method is also adopted to interpret the coupled motion response. In the end, the responses of TLP and Serbuoys-TLP are simulated under actual sea conditions with the consideration of wind, wave and current. Based on the parametric study using the modal analysis combined with hydrodynamic analysis, the conclusion can be drawn that the surge of TLP can be effectively suppressed by the addition of a series of buoys in the Serbuoys-TLP.