Session: Structural Modeling & Analysis II
Paper Number: 98245
98245 - Finite Element Design Study of Dynamics in Submarine Power Cables for Offshore Renewable Wind Energy
The future of energy in Ireland will include significant emphasis on offshore renewable energy due to the country’s excellent marine resources, with a potential 70 GW of ocean energy available within 100 km of the Irish coastline[1]. A key challenge to improving uptake of offshore wind energy is the reliability of power transmission via submarine power cables (SPCs). Dynamic cables associated with floating offshore wind turbines are critical infrastructure that consist of a complex arrangement of sub-components with different functions, including strength, insulation and corrosion resistance. Fretting, wear, and fatigue have been demonstrated as key contributing factors to damage and failure of cable conductors within laboratory testing of SPCs[2]. This paper presents a finite element design study for dynamic power cables based on a systematic model development relating an offshore submarine cable with a representative laboratory test arrangement. Initially a global finite element model is developed to replicate a floating wind turbine with attached dynamic cable via Flexcom[3] and TurbSim[4] (without fretting fatigue damage) operating in an offshore marine environment. Simplified SPC and multi-strand wire models are developed using the Abaqus finite element code to understand the localised fretting conditions between individual wires. The results of these models are implemented into a localised and highly detailed frictional contact model, constructed to represent a crossed-cylinder laboratory fretting test arrangement, using results from the global assessment as boundary conditions. The localised finite element analysis is used to predict potential fretting fatigue damage. This research aims to develop a systematic methodology for fretting fatigue in SPC copper conductors, helping to identify suitable design aspects (e.g., lay angle, lay direction, wire diameter, and number of layers) for reduction of fretting fatigue damage and extension of cable service life.
[1] Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030. Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. [https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0015c-irelands-national-energy-climate-plan-2021-2030/]
[2] Thies P.R, Johanning L, Bashir I, et al. Accelerated reliability testing of articulated cable bend restrictor for offshore wind applications. Int J Mar Energy. 2016;16:65-82. doi:10.1016/j. ijome.2016.05.006
[3] Woods plc, Flexcom Finite Element Analysis Solutions.
[4] Kelley N.D and Jonkman, B.J. Overview of the TurbSim Stochastic Inflow Turbulence Simulator: Version 1.21. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. U.S. Department of Energy 2007:NREL/TP-500-41137 [https://www.nrel.gov/wind/nwtc/assets/ pdfs/turbsimoverview.pdf].
Presenting Author: Sean Leen National University of Ireland, Galway
Finite Element Design Study of Dynamics in Submarine Power Cables for Offshore Renewable Wind Energy
Paper Type
Technical Paper Publication