Mooring System Optimization for a Spar-Buoy Wind Turbine in Rough Wind and Sea Conditions

In this paper the dynamic response of a spar-buoy floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) is investigated in order to optimize the design of the deep water mooring system. Several mooring system design parameters are considered respecting the assigned constraints with the aim to minimize the platform motions, the normal stress in the mooring lines and the fatigue estimation for harsh environmental conditions. The influence of mooring line ballasting positioning and their amount along the cables is investigated and compared to the reference case.