Verifying QBlade-Ocean: A Hydrodynamic Extension to the Wind Turbine Simulation Tool QBlade

Abstract

Abstract. To realize the projected increase in world-wide demand for floating offshore wind, numerical simulation tools must capture the relevant physics with a high level of detail while being numerically efficient. This allows engineers to have better designs based on more accurate predictions of the design driving loads, potentially enabling an economic breakthrough. The existing generation of offshore wind turbines is reaching a juncture, where traditional approaches, such as the blade element momentum theory and actuator disc models, are becoming inadequate due to the increasing occurrence of substantial blade deflections. QBlade is a tool that includes a higher fidelity aerodynamic model based on lifting-line theory, capable of accurately modeling such scenarios. In order to enable the simulation of offshore conditions in QBlade, and to make use of this aerodynamic capability for novel offshore wind turbine designs, a hydrodynamic module called QBlade-Ocean was developed. In the present work, this module is validated and verified with two experimental campaigns and two state-of-the art simulation frameworks on three distinct floating offshore wind turbine concepts. The results confirm the implementation work and fully verify QBlade as a tool to be applied in offshore wind turbine simulations. Shortcomings reported by comparable tools in the non-linear response to irregular wave excitation are confirmed by QBlade and reiterate the need for further research in this field. A code-to-code comparison with the industry-designed Hexafloat concept highlights the coupled interactions on floating turbines that can lead to large differences in motion and load responses in otherwise identically behaving simulation frameworks.