Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A62]

The Simulation of Tuned Heave Plates for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Presenter: Connor M. Geary

Faculty Sponsor: Matthew Lackner

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Mechanical Engineering

ABSTRACT

Floating offshore wind is a rapidly growing renewable energy technology, yet platform stabilization remains a key challenge for long-term performance and reliability. Excessive vibrations and heave motion – motion in the vertical translational direction – can lead to accelerated structural fatigue, reduced power production efficiency, and increased maintenance requirements over the turbine’s operational lifetime. Heave plates are commonly used as passive damping mechanisms in semisubmersible platforms, but recent research suggests that tuned heave plates (THPs), which incorporate springs and viscous dampers tuned to the natural frequency of the larger floating structure, can provide enhanced vibration mitigation. There remains a notable gap between theoretical development and practical implementation, particularly within industry-standard numerical simulation tools. To address this gap I am developing and validating an approach to accurately simulate a tuned heave plate within OpenFAST, the current industry-standard simulation framework for offshore wind turbines. By improving the fidelity of THP modeling in OpenFAST, this research aims to provide a foundation for more accurate design evaluation and broader adoption of advanced vibration mitigation strategies in floating offshore wind systems.

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