Load Reduction of Floating Wind Turbines Using Tuned Mass Dampers

Abstract

Abstract: Offshore wind turbines have the potential to be an important part of the United States’ energy production profile in the coming years. In order to accomplish this wind integration, offshore wind turbines need to be made more reliable and cost efficient to be competitive with other sources of energy. To capitalize on high speed and highquality winds over deep water, floating platforms for offshore wind turbines have been developed, but they suffer from greatly increased loading. One method to reduce loadsin offshore wind turbines is the application of structural control techniques usuallyused in skyscrapers and bridges. Tuned mass dampers are one structural control system that have been used to reduce loads in simulations of offshore wind turbines. This thesis adds to the state of the art of offshore wind energy by developing a set of optimum passive tuned mass dampers for four offshore wind turbine platforms and byquantifying the effects of actuator dynamics on an active tuned mass damper design. The set of optimum tuned mass dampers are developed by creating a limited degree-of-freedom model for each of the four offshore wind platforms