Dynamic simulation and 3D visualization of a floating tilted counter-rotating vertical axis offshore wind turbine

Abstract: The growing global demand for clean energy is critical, and wind power plays a crucial role in addressing this need. The increasing demand is driving advancements in the field of offshore wind power and one promising innovation is the counter-rotating vertical axis turbines (CRVT), specifically designed for floating wind power installations. The aim of this project was to develop a dynamic simulation and 3D visualization of a floating wind turbine using CRVT technology. In this project, simplified force models were created with the aim to incorporate more complex models from experts in wind and water dynamics in the future. The simplified force calculations included gravity, buoyancy, the Morison equation, as well as forces from a simple mooring and a generator. The implemented aerodynamic forces were obtained from a complex model developed by an expert in aerodynamics. The simulation was conducted in Matlab, utilizing first-principal physics for dynamics calculations. All the measurements used to compute the geometry of the wind turbine were imported from a CSV file. Finally, the RK4 method was employed to compute the steps, and a Maya model was created for the visualization of the wind turbine. In conclusion, the simulation successfully enabled the wind turbine's motion in all six degrees of freedom and provided a visual representation of the results. However, significant approximations were made, and additional validation is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the simulation.