Abstract The design of support structures requires precise knowledge about the effect of support tower on turbine performance, loads and its fatigue character. Therefore, a tidal current turbine mounted on an elastic tubular monopile support tower is simulated in coupled Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) simulations using ANSYS Workbench. The performance and behavior of turbine loads for an elastic tower is compared with rigid tower for similar case. The tower elasticity has significantly increased the variation in power coefficient from 2.61% to 3.5% and thrust coefficient from 1.4% to 2.2% compared to a similar turbine mounted on a rigid tower. Although, the tower elasticity has minimal impact on the overall power output but greatly affect the quality of power output due to increased variation in power coefficient. Direct thrust force on the tower varies by about 120% and 104% while the total thrust force varies by 4.8% and 3.8% from mean cycle value for the elastic and rigid tower case respectively. Stress life fatigue analysis of steel tubular monopile support tower show that the support tower has a minimum fatigue factor of safety of 1.32 and fatigue life of 37.8 years for a design life of 20 years. This suggest that steel tubular structures according to the available manufacturer guide lines, would sustain the fatigue load cycles and may be adequate for use as a support tower to a tidal current turbine.

中文翻译：

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塔架弹性对潮汐流涡轮机单桩支撑塔性能及疲劳特性的影响

摘要 支撑结构的设计需要准确了解支撑塔对涡轮机性能、载荷及其疲劳特性的影响。因此，使用 ANSYS Workbench 在耦合流固耦合 (FSI) 仿真中对安装在弹性管状单桩支撑塔上的潮汐流涡轮机进行仿真。将弹性塔的涡轮载荷的性能和行为与类似情况下的刚性塔进行比较。与安装在刚性塔架上的类似涡轮机相比，塔架弹性使功率系数的变化从 2.61% 显着增加到 3.5%，推力系数从 1.4% 增加到 2.2%。虽然，塔弹性对整体功率输出的影响很小，但由于功率系数的变化增加，大大影响了功率输出的质量。塔上的直接推力变化约 120% 和 104%，而总推力分别与弹性和刚性塔架的平均循环值相差 4.8% 和 3.8%。钢管单桩支撑塔的应力寿命疲劳分析表明，该支撑塔的最小疲劳安全系数为1.32，疲劳寿命为37.8年，设计寿命为20年。这表明，根据可用的制造商指南，钢管结构将承受疲劳载荷循环，并且可能足以用作潮汐流涡轮机的支撑塔。钢管单桩支撑塔的应力寿命疲劳分析表明，该支撑塔的最小疲劳安全系数为1.32，疲劳寿命为37.8年，设计寿命为20年。这表明，根据可用的制造商指南，钢管结构将承受疲劳载荷循环，并且可能足以用作潮汐流涡轮机的支撑塔。钢管单桩支撑塔的应力寿命疲劳分析表明，该支撑塔的最小疲劳安全系数为1.32，疲劳寿命为37.8年，设计寿命为20年。这表明，根据可用的制造商指南，钢管结构将承受疲劳载荷循环，并且可能足以用作潮汐流涡轮机的支撑塔。