Stabilization and dynamic control of semi-submersible hybrid floating wind turbine—Oscillating water column platforms

This article investigates a novel hybrid floating wind turbine integrated with oscillating water columns to mitigate the negative effects of oscillations on offshore wind platforms. These oscillations, induced by wind and waves, can cause structural fatigue, leading to shortened lifespans and increased maintenance costs. To address this, a PID-based control strategy, in conjunction with a throttle valve, has been implemented to modulate airflow within the oscillating water column chambers, providing an active damping mechanism. A comparative analysis has been conducted between the WINDMOOR baseline and the controlled hybrid floating wind turbine — oscillating water column system across a range of sea states and environmental conditions, simulated using Beaufort scaling. Results demonstrate significant reductions in platform pitch oscillations, achieving up to 97.80% and 75.86% under moderate breeze and fresh breeze conditions, respectively, and 90% under strong breezes. Notably, the hybrid system exhibited substantial stabilization even under challenging scenarios such as moderate gales and irregular waves in moderate breeze conditions, with reductions of 86.01% and 94.20%, respectively. Furthermore, the enhanced platform stability translated to a nearly 2% improvement in wind turbine power output consistency under below-rated wind speeds. These findings underscore the significant potential of the hybrid system as an innovative solution for enhancing the stability, reliability, and operational efficiency of floating offshore wind farms, advancing the field of offshore renewable energy technologies.