Design Analysis of Shared Mooring for Floating Offshore Wind Farm

Abstract The development of wind energy in deeper waters presents numerous advantages; however, floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) face challenges, primarily in terms of their higher levelized cost of energy (LCOE) compared to onshore and fixed offshore turbines. To address this, the concept of a shared mooring system has emerged as a potential solution to reduce costs. However, practical application and validation of this concept in real-world engineering projects are yet to be realized. Consequently, there is a lack of design methodology, specialized analytical tools, and industrial rules for the design and analysis of shared mooring systems. This study aims to summarize the latest research efforts in developing a methodology for the design and analysis of shared mooring systems. Various levels of dynamic models, including the spring-mass model, quasi-dynamic model, and fully coupled sub-model, are discussed. A dedicated module for shared mooring analysis has been developed within the in-house software KraKen. The study explores design constraints, considerations, modal characteristics, global performance, transient effects resulting from sudden line loss, adaptability of different mooring line models, and structural redundancy of the entire system. These aspects are examined through numerical simulations and a survey of existing rules. By consolidating these research findings, the authors aim to contribute towards establishing a comprehensive framework for the design and analysis of shared mooring systems of floating wind farm.