SMARTBLADE: Integrated System Design and Performance Optimization for Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

Floating vertical axis wind turbines (FVAWTs) are an attractive option for harnessing offshore wind power due to their advantages in capacity density, directionality, and operations and maintenance (O&M) simplicity. However, concerns around the power efficiency and structural integrity have hindered their prospects for utility-scale deployment. The overarching objective of this project is to develop an advanced aerodynamic design and load management method to improve the aerodynamic efficiency and mitigate the structural load fluctuations during FVAWTs operation. Specifically, a high-fidelity, fully coupled framework using combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element methods (FEM) will be developed to accurately calculate loads and replicate scaled wave basin results with over 90% accuracy. This framework will be used to analyse the evolution mechanisms of dynamic stall under turbulent wind conditions and the fluid-structure interaction between turbulence, waves, and the integral FVAWT system. Subsequently, a novel technology, smart pitch, will be developed to ensure blades reliability by dynamically adapting to flow conditions without the mechanical complexity of active pitch systems. Smart pitch technology will mitigate dynamic stall within each turbine rotation, with objectives of a power coefficient above 0.4 and around 30% reduction in load fluctuations, alleviating fatigue risks. Finally, structural fatigue optimization will be performed on FVAWTs with smart pitch blades to enhance durability, targeting a fatigue life exceeding 25 years. Thus, new survival standards will be established for FVAWTs operating in harsh deep-sea environments. The outcomes of this research will: (i) advance the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of FVAWTs; (ii) reinforce confidence in, and reduce the risks associated with, FVAWT for utility-scale deployment; and (iii) thus accelerate the adoption of this technology in offshore wind energy applications.