Wind Tunnel Testing of Power Maximization Control Strategies Applied to a Multi-Turbine FloatingWind Power Platform

摘要

Large-scale offshore floating wind turbines represent one of themost significant engineering challenges in wind energy at present.Since current fixed-bottom technology can support deploymentup to water depths of about 30 m (shallow waters), the technologyis now moving towards deeper waters, where the wind resourceis extremely abundant. In this regard, single and multi-turbinefloating platforms are now being actively investigated.This paper presents the results of a wind tunnel experimental campaignconducted with the scaled model of a square-shaped floatingplatform equipped with four wind turbine models located at itscorners. The scaled wind turbines feature pitch, torque and yawcontrol, and are equipped with sensors measuring all main operationalparameters, including rotor and tower loads. The modelsalso provide a realistic energy conversion process, due to similarrotor aerodynamic performance, loads, and wake characteristicsbetween the scaled and full scale machines. The pitch floatingmotion of the scaled platform is obtained by a custom-designedone degree-of-freedom actuator, capable of performing specificmotion laws simulating different wave conditions.Measurements are taken to characterize the wake, including thequantification of wake interference on downstream machines.The potential effect of yawing and derating the upstream windturbines is then investigated in terms of overall power production.