Dynamic analysis of offshore triceratops supporting wind turbine: Preliminary studies

Offshore triceratops, the recent innovation in deep water compliant platforms, is primarily designed to withstand lateral forces through its geometric shape. The uniqueness of the platform is the presence of the ball joints between the legs and deck, which partially restrain the transfer of rotations from the legs to the deck and vice-versa. However, displacements such as surge, sway, and heave motions are transferred, ensuring a rigid connection between the legs and the deck. Efficient operations of offshore wind turbines are more dependent on the support systems on which they are mounted. Increased stability and reduction in stress concentration in rigid connections are desirable. Nonlinear dynamic response analysis is carried out in FAST by coupling the frequency response of the platform obtained in ANSYS AQWA with that of the HydroDyn module of FAST. The current study investigates a fully coupled three-dimensional hydro-aerodynamic model of triceratops mounted with a horizontal axis wind turbine. Unsteady Blade Element Momentum theory (BEM) is used to estimate the aerodynamic loads, which encompasses the effect of wind shear using a power law and spatially coherent turbulence. In contrast, Morison equations are used to estimate the hydrodynamic loads on the platform. After the preliminary proportioning of the platform, Response Amplitude Operator (RAO) plots are drawn to illustrate the partial motion transfer between the deck and the buoyant legs. Based on the preliminary studies, it is seen that the environmental loads do not impose instability, reinforcing the dynamic stability of the platform. Frequency responses for operating and parked conditions illustrate the coupling between the degrees of freedom and the influence of the rotor motion of the wind turbine on the platform deck. Tether tension variation is assessed in all three legs for the operational sea states to check the safety standards for a compliant system to avoid tether pull-out. The presented study is prima facie to encourage the suitability of triceratops as floaters to support the wind turbine under moderate sea states. Highlights This study is focused on new-generation offshore triceratops as support system for wind turbine Prelimiary dynamic anlaysis of coupled action of the supprting system and wind turbine are presented Use of ball joints help partial isolation of the deck and restrain transfer of moment from the turbine shaft to the supporting system, which is a novelty Infleunce of rotor motion of the triceratops is illustarted to highlight the advantage of complinacy of trirceratops This study disucsses only the performance assessment and not the design perspectives