Dynamic Modeling and Control for an Offshore Semisubmersible Floating Wind Turbine

TL;DR

This paper develops a nonlinear dynamic model for offshore semisubmersible wind turbines considering rotor and platform rotations, and proposes an adaptive nonlinear pitch control strategy to optimize power and reduce motion under wind and wave loads.

Contribution

It introduces a novel nonlinear modeling approach and an adaptive control strategy that improves performance and robustness for offshore floating wind turbines.

Findings

Model accurately predicts key FWT dynamics.

Proposed controller effectively balances power regulation and platform stability.

Control strategy demonstrates robustness against disturbances.

Abstract

Floating wind turbines (FWTs) hold significant potential for the exploitation of offshore renewable energy resources. Nevertheless, prior to the construction of FWTs, it is imperative to tackle several critical challenges, especially the issue of performance degradation under combined wind and wave loads. This study initiates with the development of a simplified nonlinear dynamical model for a semi-submersible FWT. In particular, both the rotor dynamics and the finite rotations of the platform are considered in presented modeling approach, thereby effectively capturing the complex interplay between the platform, tower, nacelle, and rotor under combined wind and wave loads. Subsequently, based on the developed FWT model, a novel adaptive nonlinear pitch controller is formulated with the goal of striking a trade-off between regulating power generation and reducing platform motion. Notably, the proposed control strategy adopts a continuous control approach, strategically beneficial in circumventing the chattering phenomenon commonly associated with sliding mode control. Furthermore, the controller integrates an online approximator and a robust integral of the sign of the tracking error, facilitating real-time learning of system unknown dynamics while compensating for bounded disturbances. Finally, both the accuracy of the established nonlinear FWT model in predicting key dynamics and the superiority of the presented pitch controller are validated through comprehensive comparative studies.