The renewable energy sector is rapidly expanding through offshore wind projects with increasing capacities. To meet this demand, projects are moving towards open sea and deeper waters, driving innovations in Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) technology to enhance feasibility and economic viability.
Mooring systems are a major cost component in FOW projects. Reducing mooring loads is essential to optimize mooring configurations, leading to:
SeaSprings have been introduced as an innovative solution to significantly reduce mooring loads when properly designed. Our latest research explores the applicability of SeaSprings in FOW applications through comprehensive mooring case studies.
For this study, we analyzed the VolturnUS-S semi-submersible floating platform, developed by the University of Maine to support the International Energy Agency (IEA) 15-MW reference wind turbine. We investigated eight mooring designs based on two distinct base systems:
For each base mooring configuration, we proposed an alternative configuration incorporating SeaSprings. Dynamic mooring analysis was performed for both base and alternative configurations using the same design load cases, and the results were compared.
Ulsan and its offshore region are being promoted as hubs for FOW projects. The results of this study provide valuable insights for developers to optimize their mooring systems.
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