A Comprehensive Simulation Methodology for Fluid-Structure Interaction of Offshore Wind Turbines

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of a comprehensive simulation methodology for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) of offshore wind turbines that is being developed at the Applied Mathematics Department of SINTEF ICT. The methodology will account for most of the scales ranging from mesoscale meteorology through microscale meteorology to the aerodynamics of wind turbine blades. The meso and micro scales are handled through a unidirectional coupling of a meso and micro scale atmospheric code while the fluid structure interaction part is dealt with an isogeometric finite element based fluid-structure simulation code IFEM. In the current work we have shown the potential of the coupled system which is actually meant to generate realistic boundary condition as a wind forecasting tool. Also we present a comparison of the IFEM computed drag, lift and moment coefficients against experimental data for flow around a 3-D oscillating airfoil.