Session: 09-09-02: Hybrid Energy II

Submission Number: 157561

Sensitivity Analysis of a Floating Hybrid Wind-Wave System to Wave Energy
Converter Parameters 

Floating hybrid wind-wave systems combine floating offshore wind platforms and wave energy converters (WECs) to achieve a cheaper energy cost by utilising two different technologies. In such systems, WECs should be appropriately designed and tuned for a particular floating platform to not introduce excessive wind turbine motion and loads while harvesting wave power. This paper considers a 5-MW OC4-DeepCwind semi-submersible platform combined with three spherical WECs. It aims to identify what WEC parameters play the most important role in the dynamics of the hybrid wind-wave system. A thorough sensitivity analysis is conducted focusing on wave energy power maximisation and nacelle horizontal acceleration, while investigating the hybrid platform response and their potential effects. The results demonstrate that the WEC radius has a more significant effect on the platform dynamics and wave energy power output than the distance from the WECs to the platform. Depending on the objective function, WECs can contribute up to 10\% of the wind turbine power while not increasing the nacelle acceleration. Moreover, WECs can significantly reduce (up to 50\%) the wind turbine nacelle acceleration, and reduce/maintain lower levels of heave and pitch motion. Overall, the largest WECs placed closest to the platform are the most promising candidates for hybridisation with a semi-submersible platform in terms of power output and suppressing the platform motion, while the objective function of the PTO system should focus on the minimisation of the nacelle horizontal acceleration to have additional benefits of motion suppression.

Presenting Author: Nataliia Sergiienko University of Adelaide

Presenting Author Biography: Dr Nataliia Sergiienko is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Nataliia received her Bachelor and Master degree in Aerospace engineering from the National Technical University of Ukraine, in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Between 2007 and 2012, Nataliia worked as a Modelling, Simulation and Analysis Engineer for the US-based company Innalabs Ltd developing high-precision inertial navigation and orientation systems for aerospace and marine applications. In 2018, Nataliia received her Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Adelaide, Australia. Nataliia’s current research focus is on wave energy converters and floating offshore wind platforms. Since 2023, Dr Sergiienko has been an Australia Research Council Industry Fellow working on deployment-ready control systems for the wave energy industry.