The emerging floating vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are regarded as a preferred solution to overcome the challenges faced by the traditional horizontal type in open-sea environments. Numerous numerical models have been advanced for assessing this novel object. However, current fully coupled models predominantly rely on simplified theories, assuming a linear fluid load and a one-dimensional slender beam structure. Despite computational fluid dynamic and finite element (CFD-FEA) coupling being qualified for high precision, this technology remains limited to the fixed VAWT field. To predict the load and structural response accurately and comprehensively, this study aims to extend CFD-FEA technology to floating VAWTs. First, an aero-hydro-moor-elastic fully coupled model is developed, and this model is validated by comparing it with several model experiments. Subsequently, a full-scale floating straight-bladed VAWT is simulated with the geometry and numerical models introduced. Furthermore, load and structural responses in a typical case are analyzed in both time and frequency domains. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of each structure part in floating VAWTs to environmental parameters is conducted and discussed. The discovery highlights the intricate nature of tower structural response, which incorporates 2-node, 3-node, wind frequency, and wave frequency components. Distinct from blades or floating foundations, which are primarily influenced by a single environmental parameter, the tower response is significantly amplified by the combined effects of wind and waves.

A floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) normally suffers from complex external load conditions. It is vital to accurately estimate these loads and the subsequent structural motion and deformation responses for the safety design of the FOWT throughout its service lifetime. To this end, a coupled computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) approach is proposed, which is named the CFD–FEA coupled approach. For the CFD approach, the volume of fluid (VOF), the dynamic fluid–body interaction (DFBI), and overset with sliding meshes are used to capture the interface of the air and the water and to calculate wind/wave loads and the motion response of the FOWT. For the FEA approach, the explicit nonlinear dynamic finite element method is employed to evaluate structural deformation. The one-way coupling scheme is used to transfer the data from the CFD approach to the FEA approach. Using the NREL 5 MW FOWT with a catenary mooring system as the research object, a series of full-scale simulations with various wind speeds, wave heights, and wave directions are implemented. The simulation results provide a good insight into the effect of aero-hydrodynamics and fluid hydrodynamics loads on both the motion and deformation responses of the FOWT, which would contribute to improving its design.

Many ship accidents and casualties are caused by large freak ocean waves. Traditionally, the strength of ships against freak waves is assessed by means of ultimate strength evaluation, assuming quasi-static conditions, but the nonlinear dynamic structural response of ships to freak waves should be considered as well. This paper describes how the strength of a ship can be evaluated in terms of its nonlinear vertical bending moment (VBM). Linear dynamic VBM of a ship, which is derived from hydrodynamics, is calculated using a time-domain strip theory code under freak wave conditions, and the nonlinear dynamic VBM, which is dependent on structural nonlinearity, is calculated using a combination of quasi-static and dynamic nonlinear analyses based on the finite element method (FEM). The nonlinear and linear VBMs are then compared to assess how they differ. Then, the influence of freak wave height and wave speed on the VBMs and deformation is studied.

Operating Offshore Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (OF-VAWT) have the potential to perform well in the deep-sea area. Some researchers gave performance prediction by developing simplified computing models. However, these models have imperfections in considering load and motion nonlinearity, especially in extreme environments. In this work, a numerical model is developed composed of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Dynamic Fluid Body Interaction (DFBI) to acquire the aero-hydrodynamic load and performance of OF-VAWT in general and extreme environments. Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS), SST k-ω and Eulerian Multi-Phase (EMP) models are combined to generate a gas-liquid two-phase flow field; the Volume of Fluid (VOF) model is employed to capture free-surface and make numerical wind-wave. DFBI superposition motion technology is proposed for local motion definition and motion solution, and overset with sliding meshes is introduced to achieve the grid motion. The numerical approach is verified by the tunnel and tank experimental data from the available literature. Simulation results of general cases, such as variable wind speed, wave height and wave length, are compared to discuss the effect of environmental parameters on load and performance. Comparison shows that this straight-bladed OF-VAWT is more susceptible to wind speed. Furthermore, the aerodynamic load generated by the shut-down rotor is still significant in extreme environment, which has implications for the development of OF-VAWT controller.

The super-large floating bodies are often designed as multimodule structures linked by connectors, and the load and strength evaluation of the connector structure becomes an essential work in the design procedure of these floating bodies. In this paper, the hydrodynamic experimental model of a double floating body with a hinged connecter is designed first, and a hinged connector is adopted for connecting the double module floating bodies. A test is conducted for load calibration. Then, the experiments are carried out in the towing tank under different wave conditions. The load characteristics of the hinged connector are measured in the experiment. The numerical simulations for the load of the hinged connector are conducted based on the commercial platform ANSYS. The time history of the vertical, lateral and longitudinal loads for the hinged connector are illustrated. Finally, the comparison and analysis between the experimental results and numerical results is presented, and the conclusions are drawn, which indicate that the numerical method is effective to predict the load characteristics of a hinged connector. Above all, the methods and conclusions of this study are used to provide reference and guidance for the structural design of hinged connectors for floating bodies.

Extreme waves have led to many accidents and losses of ships at sea. In this paper, a two-dimensional (2D) hydroelastoplasticity method is proposed as a means of studying the nonlinear dynamic response of a container ship when traversing extreme waves, while considering the ultimate strength of the ship. On one hand, traditional ultimate strength evaluations are undertaken by making a quasi-static assumption and the dynamic wave effect is not considered. On the other hand, the dynamic response of a ship as induced by a wave is studied on the basis of the hydroelasticity theory so that the nonlinear structural response of the ship cannot be obtained for large waves. Therefore, a 2D hydroelastoplasticity method, which takes the coupling between time-domain waves and the nonlinear ship beam into account, is proposed. This method is based on an hydroelasticity method and a simplified progressive collapse method that combines the wave load and the structural nonlinearity. A simplified progressive collapse method, which considers the plastic nonlinearity and buckling effect of stiffened, is used to calculate the ultimate strength and nonlinear relationship between the bending moment and curvature, so that the nonlinear relationship between the rigidity and curvature is also obtained. A dynamic reduction in rigidity related to deformation could influence the strength and curvature of a ship's beam; therefore, it is input into a dynamic hydrodynamic formula rather than being regarded as a constant structural rigidity in a hydroelastic equation. A number of numerical extreme wave models are selected for computing the hydroelastoplasticity, such that large deformations occur and nonlinear dynamic vertical bending moment (VBM) is generated when the ship traverses these extreme waves. As the height and Froude number of these extreme waves are increased, a number of hydroelastoplasticity results including VBM and deformational curvature are computed and compared with results obtained with the hydroelasticity method, and then, some differences are observed and conclusions are drawn.