Scientific advances and innovation

Displacement system with 3 degrees of freedom to reproduce in the wind tunnel the movements of a floating wind turbine floater

The reliable reproduction of the floater motions must be ensured by two multi degree-of-freedom motion systems (3 DoF had been considered as sufficient) respecting the similarity laws induced by fluid flows. The geometric scale reduction is here particularly significant, the motion systems should be able to reproduce two translation motions and one rotation motion with very high velocity and acceleration specifications.

After requests to several motion system suppliers, it had been concluded that this kind of system does not exist on shelves and must be designed and assembled for this specific application. Design and purchase costs for one systems are planned in FLOATEOLE. The 3D4FLOATEOLE project will provide the budget to acquire the second system.

 

 

Expected technical and economic impact

The experimental analysis of two floating wind turbine wakes in interactions has never been performed so far. It will indeed provide answers to tackle several scientific questions on the need for specific wake models taking into account the floater motion influence or whether current models developed for bottomfixed wind turbines are still valid to study the wind farm power production in floating wind farms.

Key project milestones

  • May 2020 - Start of the project
  • September 2020 - Experimentation starts with the motions system

Demonstrator

The project made it possible to install the 3D4 FLOATEOLE equipment, within the LHEEA atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel.