Numerical modeling of dynamic behavior of annular tuned liquid dampers for the application in wind towers under seismic loading

Abstract

In this study, an innovative technique is introduced for application of annular tuned liquid dampers (ATLD) in wind turbines subjected to seismic ground motions. The performance of ATLD in mitigating the vibration of wind turbines is investigated using numerical simulations. The wind tower is modeled using finite element method while the fluid domain is simulated by finite volume method. The numerical study considers the dynamic behavior of ATLD under different seismic records. Also, the effects of earthquake amplitude and frequency content, structural damping and detuning on the interaction between the tower and ATLD are investigated. The results of time-history analysis show that the ATLD is effective in mitigating the response of a wind turbine when subjected to large-amplitude seismic loading. The wind tower equipped with the proposed ATLD also behaves in the elastic range of response during the considered earthquake records which is critical for the integrity and safety of these structures.