HP_Flow tank test campaign on the hydrodynamic modelling of heave plates for floating wind turbines

The LHEEA's HP-Flow project started in September 2020 as part of WEAMEC's "Research" calls for projects in partnership with NTNU and Innosea. This project focuses on hydrodynamic modelling of heave plates for floating wind turbines. Heave plates are generally flat horizontal plates installed at the base of floating foundations and with a diameter larger than the foundation itself. These plates damp the heave and pitch motion of the whole structure and shift the natural frequencies of the system to limit its movement.

The dual objective of HP_Flow is to model the hydrodynamics of heave plates for floating wind turbines and to carry out tank tests of different generic floating supports, which are representative of those used in floating wind turbines. The design work for the entire experimental device was carried out by the tank teams. It consists of a tripod installed at the centre of the Hydrodynamic and Ocean Engineering Tank on which a hexapod is installed which imposes movements on the model. A set of measuring devices (wave sensors, load platforms, accelerometer and strain gauges) was also installed.
 

Testing in pictures:

Objectives of this HP_Flow test campaign:

• Carry out tests in different configurations: with movements imposed by a hexapod, with swell alone and with swell and synchronised movements;
• Obtain a database of hydrodynamic coefficients for different heave plate geometries, adapted to floating wind turbines;
• Study free surface effects (in shallow depth configurations), the effect of porosity;
• And validate the development of CFD calculation code, to constitute a database which will be used for other projects for the validation of numerical models and to inform existing numerical models in a more refined way.

The results of the HP_Flow project will significantly advance the knowledge of the behaviour of heave plates and the physical mechanisms governing their responses to wind turbine movements and waves, in order to continue to provide data to improve the design of floating wind turbine platforms.
 

> Learn more about HP_Flow: https://www.weamec.fr/en/projects/hp_flow/