Simultaneous design optimisation methodology for floating offshore wind turbine substructure and feedback-based control strategy

This research article explores the application of control co-design methodologies for optimising floating offshore wind turbine systems concurrently. The primary objective is to offer insights into concurrent design approaches employing an advanced genetic optimisation algorithm. To achieve this, a reduced-order dynamic model is employed to minimise computational time requirements, complemented by a modified version of the levelized cost of energy equation serving as the cost function. Furthermore, various optimisation scenarios are investigated under diverse wind and wave conditions to assess the advantages and drawbacks of increasing the complexity of dynamic cases used in evaluating the cost function. The optimised system designs are then compared against baseline floating system designs to underscore the advantages of employing this approach to floating wind turbine design.