Parametric Study on Deep-Water Taut Mooring for Floating Offshore Turbines

Abstract The utilization of offshore wind power in the United States has been a topic of discussion in recent times, and it has become apparent that floating wind technology holds the most potential in water depths exceeding 300 [1] [2] meters. However, to fully harness the benefits of this technology, it is imperative to enhance the station-keeping systems of the floating platforms. This work aims to present the findings from various parametric studies on the novel phenomenon called multiline anchors for floating offshore wind turbines. Since research on emerging wind technologies is shifting focus to deeper water to meet the growing demand of the renewable energy industry, the paper is based on taut-type mooring systems adopted in deep waters. The work entails the analysis of a multiline anchor connecting three different floating offshore wind turbine systems with taut mooring lines, with simulations conducted using the National Renewable Energy laboratory’s open-source tools, FAST and openFAST. The findings help to understand the implication of an increase in turbine size by a three-scale factor on the net multiline anchor forces, and the sensitivity of the environmental force direction on the multiline anchor forces. The influence of the taut angle on the multiline anchor forces in each water depth could also be understood.