Wave devouring propulsion for stabilizing floating wind turbine platform: Experimental study

Wave Devouring Propulsion (WDP) is a green propulsion method that uses submerged foils to convert wave energy into thrust, serving both as an auxiliary propulsion system and as a stabilizer for maritime structures. This study highlights WDP’s effectiveness in improving stability for semi-submersible offshore wind turbine platforms. Experiments on a 1:100 scaled model in regular and irregular head wave conditions were conducted in both free-floating conditions, and with a mooring system to validate WDP’s effectiveness. Results show that the integrated foil design reduced mooring line tension by 41.07% compared to the design without foils in specific scenarios, suggesting a promising avenue for future research and application. • Pioneering WDP application and foil performance optimization on semi-submersible platforms. • First-of-its-kind experimental investigation of WDP integration for offshore stability enhancement. • Evidence-based foil+platform design proposed, showcasing a 41.07% reduction in mooring tension, setting new benchmarks in marine engineering efficiency.