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Design, Modelling and Analysis of a Large Floating Dock for Spar Floating Wind Turbine Installation

Abstract

Installation of floating wind turbines at the offshore site is a challenging task. A significant part of the time efficiency and costs are related to the installation methods which are sensitive to weather conditions. This study investigates a large floating dock concept, which can be used to shield a floating wind turbine during installation of tower, nacelle, and rotor onto a spar foundation. In this paper, the concept is described in detail, and a design optimisation is carried out using simple design constraints. Hydrodynamic analysis and dynamic response analysis of the coupled system of the optimum dock and spar are conducted. Two spars of different sizes are considered, and the motion responses of the spars with and without the dock in irregular waves are compared. Through analysis of the motion spectra and response statistics, dynamic characteristics of the coupled system is revealed. The present design of the dock reduces the platform-pitch responses of the spars and potentially facilitates blade mating, but may deteriorate the heave velocity of the spars in swell conditions. Finally, future design aspects of the floating dock are discussed.
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Category

Academic article

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Zhiyu Jiang
  • Rune Yttervik
  • Zhen Gao
  • Peter Christian Sandvik

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Ocean / Energi og transport
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • University of Agder
  • Equinor

Year

2020

Published in

Marine Structures

ISSN

0951-8339

Volume

72

Issue

102781

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository