Coupled simulation for hybrid wind-wave offshore system using F2A

The pursuit of renewable energy sources has been driving the development of innovative technologies, including wind energy and wave energy. Two promising equipment that have received special attention are floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) and wave energy converters (WEC). Despite their considerable potential, floating wind turbines are currently in a pre-commercial phase of development demonstrating a remarkable potential for industrialization.  These devices are known for their simplicity, reliability, and minimal environmental impact, making them a promising technology for sustainable ocean energy generation. This study aims to analyze a hybrid floating wind-wave structure using a coupled simulation through integrating OpenFAST with AQWA/ANSYS (F2A). It is an open-source software that combines FASTv7 and AQWA/ANSYS. The floating wind-wave system includes a spar-type wind turbine and an oscillating water column (OWC) WEC which principal mode of operation involves capturing the rise and fall of water within a chamber caused by the movement of waves. The effectiveness of F2A in assessing the platform's behavior under waves and wind conditions is examined, alongside a comparison with OpenFAST through natural frequency analysis, thereby ensuring robust verification of the obtained results. Moreover, the study evaluates the influence of number of OWC's on platform stabilization in three different configurations, with zero, two and three OWCs, and examines the impact on the positions of the center of gravity (CoG) and center of buoyancy (CoB) upon the addition of OWC due to the increased damping. Further, the turbine power output will be analyzed for the same three configurations previously established. These results will be examined at the peak thrust point of the wind turbine, i.e, at a nominal speed of 11.4m/s. Understanding these aspects is important for the design and optimization of hybrid platforms that effectively integrate wind and wave energy technologies to maximize renewable energy production.