Integrated Layout and Support Structure Optimization for Offshore Wind Farm Design

Abstract

This paper develops a multidisciplinary design optimization framework for integrated design optimization of offshore wind farm layout and support structure. A computational model is developed to characterize the physics of the wind farm wake, aerodynamic and hydrodynamic loads, response of the support structure to these loads, soil- structure interaction, as well as different cost elements. Levelized cost of energy is introduced as the objective function. The design constraints are the farm external boundary, and support structure buckling, first modal-frequency, fatigue damage and ultimate stresses. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, four optimization scenarios are considered: a feasible baseline design, optimization of layout only, optimization of support structure only, and integrated design of the layout and support structure. Compared to the baseline design, the optimization results show that the isolated support structure design reduces the levelized cost of energy by 0.6%, the isolated layout design reduces the levelized cost of energy by 2.0%, and the integrated layout and support structure design reduces the levelized cost of energy by 2.6%.