The existing maintenance strategies of offshore wind energy are reviewed including the specific aspects of condition-based maintenance, focusing on three primary phases, namely, condition monitoring, fault diagnosis and prognosis, and maintenance optimization. Relevant academic research and industrial applications are identified and summarized. The state of art, capabilities, and constraints of condition-based maintenance are analyzed. The presented research demonstrates that the intelligent-based approach has become a promising solution for condition recognition, and an integrated data platform for offshore wind farms is significant to optimize the maintenance activities.

Constructive interference between tidal stream turbines in multi-rotor fence configurations arrayed normally to the flow has been shown analytically, computationally, and experimentally to enhance turbine performance. The increased resistance to bypass flow due to the presence of neighbouring turbines allows a static pressure difference to develop in the channel and entrains a greater flow rate through the rotor swept area. Exploiting the potential improvement in turbine performance requires that turbines either be operated at higher tip speed ratios or that turbines are redesigned in order to increase thrust. Recent studies have demonstrated that multi-scale flow dynamics, in which a distinction is made between device-scale and fence-scale flow events, have an important role in the physics of flow past tidal turbine fences partially spanning larger channels. Although the reduction in flow rate through the fence as the turbine thrust level increases has been previously demonstrated, the within-fence variation in turbine performance, and the consequences for overall farm performance, is less well understood. The impact of turbine design and operating conditions, on the performance of a multi-rotor tidal fence is investigated using Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes embedded blade element actuator disk simulations. Fences consisting of four, six, and eight turbines are simulated, and it is demonstrated that the combination of device- and fence-scale flow effects gives rise to cross-fence thrust and power variation. These cross-fence variations are also a function of turbine thrust, and hence design conditions, although it is shown simple turbine control strategies can be adopted in order to reduce the cross-fence variations and improve overall fence performance. As the number of turbines in the fence, and hence fence length, increases, it is shown that the turbines may be designed or operated to achieve higher thrust levels than if the turbines were not deployed in a fence configuration.

To facilitate the commercialization of wave energy in an array or farm environment, effective control strategies for improving energy extraction efficiency of the system are important. In this paper, we develop and apply model-predictive control (MPC) to a heaving point-absorber array, where the optimization problem is cast into a convex quadratic programming (QP) formulation, which can be efficiently solved by a standard QP solver. We introduced a term for penalizing large slew rates in the cost function to ensure the convexity of this function. Constraints on both range of the states and the input capacity can be accommodated. The convex formulation reduces the computational hurdles imposed on conventional nonlinear MPC. For illustration of the control principles, a point-absorber approximation is adopted to simplify the representation of the hydrodynamic coefficients among the array by exploiting the small devices to wavelength assumption. The energycapturing capabilities of a two-cylinder array in regular and irregular waves are investigated. The performance of the MPC for this two-WEC array is compared to that for a single WEC, and the behavior of the individual devices in head or beam wave configuration is explained. Also shown is the reactive power required by the power takeoff system to achieve the performance.

This work investigated the influence of two types of mooring systems on the hydrodynamic performance of a two-body floating wave energy converter (WEC). It also investigated the effects of the physical parameters of the mooring system on the amount of extractable power from incident waves in the frequency domain. The modeled converter comprised a floating body (a buoy), a submerged body with two mooring systems, and a coupling system for two bodies. The coupling system was a simplified power take-off system that was modeled by a linear spring-damper model. The tension leg mooring system could drastically affect the heave motion of the submerged body of the model and increase relative displacement between the two bodies. The effects of the stiffness parameter of the mooring system on power absorption exceeded those of the pretension tendon force.

Wave energy from the ocean is currently a very popular renewable energy, and its development has primarily focused on the shape of the wave energy converter (WEC) used to efficiently convert wave energy into electrical energy. However, the free surface ocean wave problem is very complex and the parameters affecting WEC behavior are difficult to understand. In this paper, based on the Lattice-Boltzmann method, we present particle-based CFD simulation results for the pivoted-type WEC that exhibits both vertical and horizontal motions. In this method, the computation domain need not be a mesh and complex geometry is not a limiting factor. Using a free-surface turbulence model, we simulated the fluid-structure interaction. We detail our simulation results, which show good agreement with those in the literature.

In this study, we investigated the hydrodynamic and energy conversion performance of a double-float wave energy converter (WEC) based on the linear theory of water waves. The generator power take-off (PTO) system is modeled as a combination of a linear viscous damping and a linear spring. Using the frequency domain method, the optimal damping coefficient of the generator PTO system is derived to achieve the optimal conversion efficiency (capture width ratio). Based on the potential flow theory and the higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM), we constructed a threedimensional model of double-float WEC to study its hydrodynamic performance and response in the time domain. Only the heave motion of the two-body system is considered and a virtual function is introduced to decouple the motions of the floats. The energy conversion character of the double-float WEC is also evaluated. The investigation is carried out over a wide range of incident wave frequency. By analyzing the effects of the incident wave frequency, we derive the PTO’s damping coefficient for the double-float WEC’s capture width ratio and the relationships between the capture width ratio and the natural frequencies of the lower and upper floats. In addition, it is capable to modify the natural frequencies of the two floats by changing the stiffness coefficients of the PTO and mooring systems. We found that the natural frequencies of the device can directly influence the peak frequency of the capture width, which may provide an important reference for the design of WECs.

The integration of wave energy converters (WECs) with floating breakwaters has become common recently due to the benefits of both cost-sharing and providing offshore power supply. In this study, based on viscous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) theory, we investigated the hydrodynamic performances of the floating box and Berkeley Wedge breakwaters, both of which can also serve as WECs. A numerical wave flume model is constructed using Star-CCM+ software and applied to investigate the interaction between waves and wave energy converters while completing the verification of the convergence study of time and space steps. The effects of wave length on motion response and transmission coefficient of the floating box breakwater model are studied. Comparisons of our numerical results and published experimental data indicate that Star-CCM+ is very capable of accurately modeling the nonlinear wave interaction of floating structures, while the analytical potential theory overrates the results especially around the resonant frequency. Optimal damping can be readily predicted using potential flow theory and can then be verified by CFD numerical results. Next, we investigated the relationship between wave frequencies and various coefficients using the CFD model under optimal damping, including the motion response, transmission coefficient, reflection coefficient, dissipation coefficient, and wave energy conversion efficiency. We then compared the power generation efficiencies and wave dissipation performances of the floating box and Berkeley Wedge breakwaters. The results show that the power generation efficiency of the Berkeley Wedge breakwater is always much higher than that of the floating box breakwater. Besides, the wave dissipation performance of the Berkeley Wedge breakwater is much better than that of the floating box breakwater at lower frequency.

Energy shortages and environmental pollution are becoming increasingly severe globally. The exploitation and utilization of renewable energy have become an effective way to alleviate these problems. To improve power production capacity, power output quality, and cost effectiveness, comprehensive marine energy utilization has become an inevitable trend in marine energy development. Based on a semi-submersible wind-tidal combined power generation device, a three-dimensional frequency domain potential flow theory is used to study the hydrodynamic performance of such a device. For this study, the RAOs and hydrodynamic coefficients of the floating carrier platform to the regular wave were obtained. The influence of the tidal turbine on the platform in terms of frequency domain was considered as added mass and damping. The direct load of the tidal turbine was obtained by CFX. FORTRAN software was used for the second development of adaptive query workload aware software, which can include the external force. The motion response of the platform to the irregular wave and the tension of the mooring line were calculated under the limiting condition (one mooring line breakage). The results showed that the motion response of the carrier to the surge and sway direction is more intense, but the swing amplitude is within the acceptable range. Even in the worst case scenario, the balance position of the platform was still in the positioning range, which met the requirements of the working sea area. The safety factor of the mooring line tension also complied with the requirements of the design specification. Therefore, it was found that the hydrodynamic performance and motion responses of a semi-submersible wind-tidal combined power generation device can meet the power generation requirements under all design conditions, and the device presents a reliable power generation system.

The exploration for renewable and clean energies has become crucial due to environmental issues such as global warming and the energy crisis. In recent years, floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) have attracted a considerable amount of attention as a means to exploit steady and strong wind sources available in deep-sea areas. In this study, the coupled aero-hydrodynamic characteristics of a spar-type 5-MW wind turbine are analyzed. An unsteady actuator line model (UALM) coupled with a twophase computational fluid dynamics solver naoe-FOAM-SJTU is applied to solve three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier- Stokes equations. Simulations with different complexities are performed. First, the wind turbine is parked. Second, the impact of the wind turbine is simplified into equivalent forces and moments. Third, fully coupled dynamic analysis with wind and wave excitation is conducted by utilizing the UALM. From the simulation, aerodynamic forces, including the unsteady aerodynamic power and thrust, can be obtained, and hydrodynamic responses such as the six-degrees-of-freedom motions of the floating platform and the mooring tensions are also available. The coupled responses of the FOWT for cases of different complexities are analyzed based on the simulation results. Findings indicate that the coupling effects between the aerodynamics of the wind turbine and the hydrodynamics of the floating platform are obvious. The aerodynamic loads have a significant effect on the dynamic responses of the floating platform, and the aerodynamic performance of the wind turbine has highly unsteady characteristics due to the motions of the floating platform. A spar-type FOWT consisting of NREL-5-MW baseline wind turbine and OC3-Hywind platform system is investigated. The aerodynamic forces can be obtained by the UALM. The 6DoF motions and mooring tensions are predicted by the naoe-FOAM-SJTU. To research the coupling effects between the aerodynamics of the wind turbine and the hydrodynamics of the floating platform, simulations with different complexities are performed. Fully coupled aero-hydrodynamic characteristics of FOWTs, including aerodynamic loads, wake vortex, motion responses, and mooring tensions, are compared and analyzed.

Gearbox in offshore wind turbines is a component with the highest failure rates during operation. Analysis of gearbox repair policy that includes economic considerations is important for the effective operation of offshore wind farms. From their initial perfect working states, gearboxes degrade with time, which leads to decreased working efficiency. Thus, offshore wind turbine gearboxes can be considered to be multi-state systems with the various levels of productivity for different working states. To efficiently compute the time-dependent distribution of this multi-state system and analyze its reliability, application of the nonhomogeneous continuous-time Markov process (NHCTMP) is appropriate for this type of object. To determine the relationship between operation time and maintenance cost, many factors must be taken into account, including maintenance processes and vessel requirements. Finally, an optimal repair policy can be formulated based on this relationship.

This paper presents an innovative eccentric jacket substructure for offshore wind turbines to better withstand intense environmental forces and to replace conventional X-braced jackets in seismically active areas. The proposed eccentric jacket comprises of completely overlapped joint at every joint connection. The joint consists of a chord and two braces in a single plane. The two braces are fully overlapped with a short segment of the diagonal brace welded directly onto the chord. The characteristic feature of this joint configuration is that the short segment member can be designed to absorb and dissipate energy under cyclic load excitation. The experimental and numerical study revealed that the completely overlapped joint performed better in terms of strength resistance, stiffness, ductility, and energy absorption capacity than the conventional gap joints commonly found in typical X-braced jacket framings. The eccentric jacket could also be designed to becoming less stiff, with an inelastic yielding and local buckling of short segment member, so as to better resist the cyclic load generated from intense environmental forces and earthquake. From the design economics, the eccentric jacket provided a more straightforward fabrication with reduced number of welded joints and shorter thicker wall cans than the conventional X-braced jacket. It can therefore be concluded based on the results presented in the study that by designing the short segment member in accordance with strength and ductility requirement, the eccentric jacket substructure supporting the wind turbine could be made to remain stable under gravity loads and to sustain a significantly large amount of motion in the event of rare and intense earthquake or environmental forces, without collapsing.

Development and application of offshore wind turbine farms have been increasing, particularly in the developed countries, because of their high power rating, high yield energy, high offshore wind, and unlimited space in the offshore. However, the poor data and simplistic methodologies of the previous assessments result in insufficient estimates of the wind energy potential. Thus, this study provides an assessment of the offshore wind energy resources in Malaysia using multi-mission satellite altimetry data. The satellite altimetry data was extracted from Radar Altimeter Database Systems located at GNSS and Geodynamics Laboratory, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The data were validated by buoy measurements from two offshore sites, as indicated by the high correlation coefficient of 0.88. Further, the offshore wind energy resource mapping data in Malaysia identified three areas in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo as potential areas for offshore wind energy development.