Multi-physics fully coupled model developments and assessments of floating offshore wind turbines at Aberdeen University on FindAPhD.com

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Dr Zaibin Lin, Dr D Van der A, Dr X Guo No more applications being accepted Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Aberdeen United Kingdom Civil Engineering Computational Mathematics Fluid Mechanics Marine Engineering Structural Mechanics

About the Project

In response to the energy crisis and climate change, the UK government has raised the target capacity of offshore wind energy from the existing 12.7GW in 2022 to an ambitious 50GW by 2030, including an extra 5GW of floating wind turbines [1]. Almost all existing offshore wind turbines have been installed with fixed-bottom foundations in shallow water. However, due to the limitation of adequate shallow water sites with sustainable wind resources, there is a growing need for installing wind turbines in deeper waters, on floating structures. To exploit the potential of offshore wind energy and reduce the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) of a single offshore wind turbine, it is essential to improve the capacity of wind turbines installed in deep waters, where the wind resource is far more robust and steadier compared to coastal and onshore zones. The design capacity of the latest Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) is as much as 15MW [2], with turbine blades that are 115.5 meters long. For such very large FOWTs, the aeroelasticity of the blades plays a critical role in determining the blades' fatigue life and operational lifetime [3]. To analyse these complex dynamic FOWT systems, such as aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, hydrodynamics, and mooring systems, all need to be considered simultaneously due to their interactions. This has added significant complexity to developing laboratory experiments and numerical tools for critical assessments of FOWTs.

In this PhD project, a two-way fully coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) model will be developed in the open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) library OpenFOAM and the open-source finite element library deal.II. The basis of the model will be the multi-region overset mesh model developed by Lin et al. [4-5] and the deal.II. The specific objectives of the study include

1. To develop a robust, efficient, and accurate high-fidelity Two-Way coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction (TW-FSI) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical tool to resolve the complex hydro-aero-elastic-mooring system of a 15MW FOWT in marine environments.

2. To investigate the effects of aeroelasticity on repetitive blade deformation, power production and wake development of an isolated rotor under cyclic loading induced by unsteady wind.

3. To investigate the performance and stability of a full 15MW FOWT in operational marine environments, considering the fully nonlinear wind-wave-structure interaction, aeroelasticity, and dynamic mooring system.

The successfully implemented FSI model will be applied to investigate the FOWT blade aeroelasticity and its effects on the fully coupled FOWT dynamic system (aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, and mooring system). A multidisciplinary supervisory team is established with expertise in fluid-structure interaction using numerical [4-5] and experimental [6] approaches. The student will be based in the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen.

Selection will be made on the basis of academic merit. The applicant must have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 honours degree or a distinction or high merit at the MSc level (or international equivalent) in civil engineering, fluid mechanics, marine/offshore/coastal engineering, naval architecture, mathematics, or a related subject.

Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php

• Apply for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering

• State name of the lead supervisor as the Name of Proposed Supervisor

• State the exact project title on the application form

When applying please ensure all required documents are attached:

• All degree certificates and transcripts (Undergraduate AND Postgraduate MSc-officially translated into English where necessary)

• Detailed CV, Personal Statement/Motivation Letter and Intended source of funding to meet the difference between UK and International tuition fees (if applicable)

Informal inquiries can be made to Dr Z Lin ([Email Address Removed]) with a copy of your curriculum vitae and cover letter. All general enquiries should be directed to the Postgraduate Research School ([Email Address Removed])

Funding Notes

Tuition fees will be paid at UK rates only along with a stipend for 36 months (£17,668 per annum, paid monthly in arrears for academic year 2022-2023). International students are welcome to apply if they are able to pay the difference between UK and International tuition fees, from their own resources, for the duration of study. This will be in the region of £18,500 per annum.

References

[1] The Pathway to 2030 Holistic Network Design. Available at: https://www.nationalgrideso.com/future-energy/the-pathway-2030-holistic-network-design. (Accessed: 6 October 2022).
[2] Floating offshore wind: cost reduction pathways to subsidy free. Available at: https://ore.catapult.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FOW-Cost-Reduction-Pathways-to-Subsidy-Free-report-.pdf. (Accessed: 6 October 2022).
[3] Gaertner, E., Rinker, J., Sethuraman, L., Zahle, F., Anderson, B., Barter, G. and Abbas, N., 2020. Definition of the IEA wind 15-Megawatt offshore reference wind turbine technical report.
[4] Lin, Z., Qian, L., Campobasso, M.S., Bai, W., Zhou, Y. and Ma, Z., 2022. Modelling aerodynamics of a floating offshore wind turbine using the overset mesh solver in OpenFOAM. In American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 41st International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering (Vol. 85932, p. V008T09A031), Hamburg, Germany.
[5] Lin, Z., Qian, L. and Bai, W., 2021. A coupled overset CFD and mooring line model for floating wind turbine hydrodynamics. In the 31st International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference, Rhodes, Greece.
[6] Neshamar, O.E. van der A, D.A. and O’Donoghue, T., 2022. Flow-induced vibration of a cantilevered cylinder in oscillatory flow at high KC. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 109, p.103476.