UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test (UK FOWTT) facility

Enabling physical modelling experiments with wind, wave, and currents simultaneously
UKFOWTT
The EPSRC-funded UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test facility within the COAST Lab’s Ocean Basin is a first-of-its-kind facility within the UK, that enables physical modelling experiments with wind, wave, and currents simultaneously. 
The data generated in these experiments will allow researchers to improve their understanding of how future technology will behave in the ocean.
The wind generator is composed of a bank of 9 fans designed to produce wind speeds between 0.5 m/s to 10 m/s. Flow conditioning is designed to provide a 5% longitudinal target turbulence intensity, a swirl-free flow and a 5% or less flow homogeneity, with individual fan control enabling variation in wind profiles. The generator can be rotated up to 25 degree relative to primary wave generation direction and can be positioned within the basin to fit different experimental set-ups.
Testing of floating offshore wind platforms with blow wind requires the use of turbine modules with blade shapes designed to help overcome the issues of scaling aerodynamic loads while correctly scaling hydrodynamic loads from waves and currents.

Floating offshore wind will play a critical role in enabling the UK to achieve its clean energy ambitions. But to fully harness the potential of emerging technologies, the whole sector needs a facility where ideas and innovations can be put through their paces.

This installation will enable that, and is an important addition to our suite of world class offshore renewable energy facilities. 

Deborah Greaves OBE FREngDeborah Greaves OBE FREng
Director of the University’s Centre for Decarbonisation and Offshore Renewable Energy

Please contact the Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport (COAST) laboratory if you would like to test a platform with our existing turbine model.