A Low-cost Floating Vertical Axis Wind System (FloatVAWT)
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A Low-cost Floating Vertical Axis Wind System (FloatVAWT) Offshore wind is a large, untapped energy market in the United States. Roughly 60% of the offshore wind energy resource – representing an energy capacity large enough to power today’s domestic grid – resides in deep water regions off the U.S. coasts where conventional fixed foundations are impractical. The availability of strong offshore wind resources in US coastal regions having large population (and load) centers makes offshore wind energy very attractive. In deep waters, where floating platforms are required, vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) offer a viable solution for floating offshore wind turbines because they have a lower vertical center of gravity, lower center of pressure, require a smaller and less expensive floating platform, and have the potential to reduce operations and maintenance costs due to platform-level access to the generator and drivetrain (see figure to the right). However, several technical challenges must be addressed, which is a focus of the project. This project builds upon initial work in design tool development and design studies (Refs. [1], [2], [3], [4], and [5]). For more information, contact: D. Todd Griffith, PhD (Principal Investigator), University of Texas at Dallas, [email protected] ROTOR DESIGN STUDIES Rotor design studies (Ref. [3]) included aerodynamic and structural design that investigated the following rotor parameters: (1) rotor type, (2) number of blades, (3) materials, and (4) rotor geometry. FLOATING PLATFORM DESIGN STUDIES A platform and mooring design, study considered unique VAWT specific design conditions. A comprehensive set of floating system options were considered and characterized (Refs. [1], [2], [4], [5]). INTRODUCTION & MOTIVATION FOR THE FloatVAWT PROJECT FloatVAWT: DESIGN APPROACH AND TECHNOLOGIES COMPONENT-LEVEL FLOATING VAWT DESIGN STUDIES REFERENCES [1] Owens, B.C., et al, “Aeroelastic Modeling of Large Offshore Vertical-axis Wind Turbines: Development of the Offshore Wind Energy Simulation Toolkit,” AIAA SDM, AIAA-2013-1552. [2] Griffith, D.T., Paquette, J., Barone, M., Goupee, A., Fowler, M., Bull, D., Owens, B., “A Study of Rotor and Platform Design Trade-offs for Large-scale Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbines,” Journal of Physics: Conference Series 753 (2016) 102003, DOI:10.1088/1742- 6596/753/10/102003. [3] Griffith, D.T., et al, “Design Studies for Deep-Water Floating Offshore Vertical Axis Wind Turbines,” SAND2018-7002. [4] Searcy, C., et al, “Optimal Floating Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Platform Identification Design and Cost Estimation,” SAND2018-9085. [5] Ennis, B. and Griffith, D.T., “System Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis for Floating Offshore Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines,” SAND2018-9131. [6] Owens, B.C., Griffith, D.T., and Hurtado, J.E., “Modal Dynamics and Stability of Large Multi-megawatt Deepwater Offshore Vertical-axis Wind Turbines,” AIAA SDM, 2014. [7] Paulsen, U.S., Andersen, E., Griffith, D.T., and Madsen, H.A., “A Review of State-of-the-Art in Torque Generation and Control of Floating Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines,” AIP, April 2019. The FloatVAWT project builds on recent and historical lessons-learned; and brings new technologies and a new design approach aimed to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of our floating VAWT solution. About the FloatVAWT TEAM The FloatVAWT team is comprised of a highly–integrated research team of experts from two universities and three small businesses who have deep experience with wind energy system design, offshore systems, and design methods. The team is led by the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) with partners including Aquanis, Inc., the University of Illinois (UIUC), VL Offshore, and XFlow Energy. VAWT inherent advantages (e.g. lower CG, upscaling potential) System design through H-CCD Active flow control Additional key elements: • Lightweight, compact floater • Manufacturability plan • Phase 1 Wind Tunnel Testing Phase 1 Cross-Collaboration Tasks: • CCT-2 (VAWT codes/tools) • CCT-3 (VAWT scaling) • CCT-4 (Wave tank testing) • CCT-12 (Plasma control) Leads to cost-optimized floating VAWT design to unlock deep-water offshore market in U.S. Our target is LCOE of $75/MWh based on a 12-15MW floating VAWT system. Inherent Advantages + New elements optimized with CCD = Market ($) Technology development from concept to market using a Hierarchical Control Co-design Method ATLANTIS Program
Transcript of A Low-cost Floating Vertical Axis Wind System (FloatVAWT)
A Low-cost Floating Vertical Axis Wind System (FloatVAWT)
Offshore wind is a large, untapped energy market in the United States. Roughly60% of the offshore wind energy resource – representing an energy capacity largeenough to power today’s domestic grid – resides in deep water regions off the U.S.coasts where conventional fixed foundations are impractical. The availability ofstrong offshore wind resources in US coastal regions having large population (andload) centers makes offshore wind energy very attractive.
In deep waters, where floating platforms are required, vertical axis wind turbines(VAWTs) offer a viable solution for floating offshore wind turbines because theyhave a lower vertical center of gravity, lower center of pressure, require a smallerand less expensive floating platform, and have the potential to reduce operationsand maintenance costs due to platform-level access to the generator anddrivetrain (see figure to the right). However, several technical challenges must beaddressed, which is a focus of the project. This project builds upon initial work indesign tool development and design studies (Refs. [1], [2], [3], [4], and [5]).
For more information, contact: D. Todd Griffith, PhD (Principal Investigator), University of Texas at Dallas, [email protected]
ROTOR DESIGN STUDIES
Rotor design studies (Ref. [3]) included aerodynamic and structuraldesign that investigated the following rotor parameters: (1) rotortype, (2) number of blades, (3) materials, and (4) rotor geometry.
FLOATING PLATFORM DESIGN STUDIES
A platform andmooring design,study consideredunique VAWTspecific designconditions. Acomprehensive setof floating systemoptions wereconsidered andcharacterized(Refs. [1], [2], [4],[5]).
INTRODUCTION & MOTIVATION FOR THE FloatVAWT PROJECT
FloatVAWT: DESIGN APPROACH AND TECHNOLOGIESCOMPONENT-LEVEL FLOATING VAWT DESIGN STUDIES
REFERENCES
[1] Owens, B.C., et al, “Aeroelastic Modeling of Large Offshore Vertical-axis Wind Turbines: Development of the Offshore Wind EnergySimulation Toolkit,” AIAA SDM, AIAA-2013-1552.[2] Griffith, D.T., Paquette, J., Barone, M., Goupee, A., Fowler, M., Bull, D., Owens, B., “A Study of Rotor and Platform Design Trade-offs forLarge-scale Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbines,” Journal of Physics: Conference Series 753 (2016) 102003, DOI:10.1088/1742-6596/753/10/102003.[3] Griffith, D.T., et al, “Design Studies for Deep-Water Floating Offshore Vertical Axis Wind Turbines,” SAND2018-7002.[4] Searcy, C., et al, “Optimal Floating Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Platform Identification Design and Cost Estimation,” SAND2018-9085.[5] Ennis, B. and Griffith, D.T., “System Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis for Floating Offshore Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines,” SAND2018-9131.[6] Owens, B.C., Griffith, D.T., and Hurtado, J.E., “Modal Dynamics and Stability of Large Multi-megawatt Deepwater Offshore Vertical-axisWind Turbines,” AIAA SDM, 2014.[7] Paulsen, U.S., Andersen, E., Griffith, D.T., and Madsen, H.A., “A Review of State-of-the-Art in Torque Generation and Control of FloatingVertical-Axis Wind Turbines,” AIP, April 2019.
The FloatVAWT project builds on recent and historical lessons-learned; and bringsnew technologies and a new design approach aimed to demonstrate the technicaland economic feasibility of our floating VAWT solution.
About the FloatVAWT TEAM
The FloatVAWT team is comprised of a highly–integrated research team of experts from two universities andthree small businesses who have deep experience with wind energy system design, offshore systems, anddesign methods. The team is led by the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) with partners including Aquanis,Inc., the University of Illinois (UIUC), VL Offshore, and XFlow Energy.
VAWT inherent advantages (e.g. lower CG, upscaling potential)
System design through H-CCD
Active flow control
Additional key elements:• Lightweight, compact floater• Manufacturability plan• Phase 1 Wind Tunnel Testing
Phase 1 Cross-Collaboration Tasks:• CCT-2 (VAWT codes/tools)• CCT-3 (VAWT scaling)• CCT-4 (Wave tank testing)• CCT-12 (Plasma control)
Leads to cost-optimized floating VAWT design to unlock deep-water
offshore market in U.S.
Our target is LCOE of $75/MWh based on a 12-15MW floating VAWT system.
Inherent Advantages + New elements optimized with CCD = Market ($)Technology development from concept to market using
a Hierarchical Control Co-design Method
ATLANTIS Program
