Validation of wave radar measurements from the TetraSpar Demonstrator floating wind turbine

Abstract

In this work, wave measurements from a Radac wave radar installed on the TetraSpar Demonstrator floating wind turbine are analysed and compared to measurements from an adjacent Fugro Midi wave buoy and MET Norway model forecasts. The wave radar is found to agree well with the wave buoy and model forecasts in most cases, giving confidence to use the data for engineering calculations and design. Some discrepancy in the measured spreading is observed, but analysis of raw wave data indicates that the wave radar measures similar spreading values to the pitch, roll and heave wave buoy. Wave diffraction by the local structure is found to have a small impact on the high-frequency tail of the measured spectra, but has minimal impact on the measured bulk wave parameters. Measurements of spurious large wave crest events appear to be associated with sea-spray from the centre column for a particular wave direction. Quality control procedures implemented in the wave radar software remove these spurious large crest events.