Quarter Scale Testing of the Intelligent Mooring System for Floating Offshore Wind Platforms

智能系泊项目 **"** 浮动海上风力平台智能系泊系统的四分之一规模测试”是英国和美国的联合合作项目，包括智能系泊、埃克塞特大学、PCCI公司和Ocergy公司，以及ORE弹射器的一系列进一步支持，美国海军和NREL。智能系泊公司正在开发基于加压绳索技术的IMS减载系泊系统，埃克塞特大学提供建模和动态海洋部件试验设施（DMaC），PCCI是管理海上试验部署的定制系泊专家，Ocergy将提供平台接口支持和最终用户反馈，美国海军提供WETS试验设施，ORE Catapult LCOE研究、NREL数据采集和ABS产品设计评估和认证支持。该项目进行耦合建模，与平台设计要求对接，并按比例扩大现有IMS设计，以满足NREL 15 MW参考涡轮机的四分之一比例负荷。该公司设计并建造了一套IMS系统，用于在美国海军WETS试验场进行部署和测试，以证明IMS系统的操作性能可以显著降低LCOE。系泊系统是浮式装置、船舶安全位置保持和水动力稳定性的关键子系统。系泊设备必须能够承受极限载荷条件以及循环疲劳载荷。需要在水深超过50米的地方安装浮式装置，以获取全球大部分海上风力资源。传统的系泊设计依赖于石油和天然气行业的改造，这些改造可以满足所需的完整性和安全裕度，但会导致资本支出密集型设计。系泊系统的资本成本由极端（峰值负荷）条件驱动，而收入则在正常运行条件下产生。如果峰值载荷能够得到缓解，则可以显著降低系泊系统和相关结构元件的成本以及部署和安装成本。IMS基于液压载荷阻尼机制提供创新的非线性响应。它包括一个充满水的囊状物，囊状物装在编织绳中，并连接到一个蓄能器，功能类似于减震器。增加的系泊载荷导致加压绳索延伸并减小内部囊状物的体积。压力的主动控制提供了智能刚度变化，可以调整这些刚度变化以降低峰值载荷并控制平台动态。

The Intelligent Moorings project **"**Quarter Scale Testing of the Intelligent Mooring System for Floating Offshore Wind Platforms" is a joint UK and US collaborative project comprising Intelligent Moorings, the University of Exeter, PCCI, Inc, and Ocergy Inc together with a range of further support from the ORE Catapult, the US Navy and NREL.Intelligent Moorings is developing the IMS load reduction mooring systems based on pressurised rope technology, the University of Exeter provide modelling and the Dynamic Marine Component Test Facility (DMaC), PCCI are bespoke moorings specialists managing the sea trial deployment, Ocergy will provide platform interface support and end user feedback, the US Navy provide the WETS test facility, the ORE Catapult LCOE studies, NREL data acquisition and ABS Product Design Assessment and Certification support.The project undertakes coupled modelling, interfaces with platform design requirements and scales up an existing IMS design to meet quarter scale loads for the NREL 15MW reference turbine. It designs and builds an IMS system for deployment and test at the US Navy WETS test site to prove the operational performance of the IMS system can deliver significant LCOE reductions.Mooring systems are critical sub-systems for floating installations, warranting safe station keeping and hydrodynamic stability. The moorings must withstand ultimate load conditions, as well as cyclic fatigue loading. Floating installations in water depths exceeding 50m will be required to access much of the global offshore wind resource. Conventional mooring designs rely on adaptations from the oil and gas sector that can meet the required integrity and safety margins but lead to CAPEX intensive designs. The capital cost of moorings is driven by extreme (peak load) conditions, whilst revenue is generated under normal operating conditions. If peak loads can be mitigated, the cost of mooring systems and associated structural elements, as well as deployment and installation costs, can be significantly reduced.The IMS provides innovative non-linear responses based on hydraulic load damping mechanisms. It includes a water-filled bladder housed in a braided rope and connected to an accumulator, functioning like a shock absorber. Increased mooring loads result in the pressurised rope extending and reducing the volume of the internal bladder. Active control of the pressure provides intelligent stiffness variations that can be tuned to reduce peak loads and control platform dynamics.