Dynamic prescribed-wake vortex method for aerodynamic analysis of offshore floating wind turbines

A prescribed-wake vortex model for evaluating the aerodynamic loads on offshore floating turbines has been developed. As an extension to the existing UMass analysis tool, WInDS, the developed model uses prescribed empirical wake node velocity functions to model aerodynamic loading. This model is applicable to both dynamic flow conditions and dynamic rotational and translational platform motions of floating offshore turbines. With this model, motion-induced wake perturbations can be considered, and their effect on induction can be modeled, which is useful for floating offshore wind turbine design. The prescribed-wake WInDS model is shown to increase computational efficiency drastically in all presented cases and maintain comparable accuracy to the free wake model. Results of prescribed-wake model simulations are presented and compared to results obtained from the free wake model to confirm model validity.