Two tank testing campaigns were conducted in the early stages of the concept development to validate the benefits of the downwind solution and feedback into the design process.
In 2018, the first test campaign was completed with successful tests at 1:64 scale at the CIEMLAB wave flume in the UPC. Several wave conditions were tested to determine the critical platform hydrodynamic coefficients and to adjust the simulation model.
In early 2019, X1 Wind carried out a second testing campaign at the ECN Hydrodynamic and Ocean Engineering Tank, one of the largest European testing facilities and part of MaRINET2 Infrastructures Network. The tests were carried out with a 1:50-scale model of the floater and an NREL 5MW scaled turbine in a downwind configuration.
In this infrastructure, it was possible to simulate real wind and sea conditions, including combined wind and waves conditions, extreme storm events, and validate the passive self-alignment of the PivotBuoy ® mooring system. The tests showed the excellent performance of the floater under different sea conditions and enabled the validation of X1 Wind’s in-house simulations model. The results also confirmed significant low motions and accelerations of the platform while reducing the weight compared to other systems.
One year before the test campaign conducted at the ECN Hydrodynamic and Ocean Engineering Tank, the proof of concept was completed with successful tests at 1:64 scale at the CIEMLAB wave flume in the UPC. Several wave conditions were tested to determine the critical platform hydrodynamic coefficients and to adjust the simulation model.
