Inerter Enhanced Tuned Mass Damper for Vibration Mitigation of Floating Wind Turbines

Abstract Excessive vibrations in the tower structure of floating wind turbines (FWTs) during operation pose significant risks to structural safety and lead to increased maintenance costs. The low-frequency, broadband, and multi-modal coupled dynamic characteristics of FWTs present considerable challenges for effective vibration control. Conventional tuned mass dampers (TMDs) often rely on a high mass ratio to achieve efficient vibration control, which can be problematic in applications with stringent constraints on damper mass and installation space. This paper introduces a vibration control strategy for FWTs using a Tuned Mass Damper Inerter (TMDI). By integrating an inerter component, the TMDI achieves an effective mass several times greater than its physical mass, resulting in enhanced vibration suppression. A coupled dynamic model of the FWT equipped with the TMDI is developed, based on the modal superposition method, accounting for the effects of different inerter installation locations. Additionally, a ball-screw TMDI experimental prototype is designed. The TMDI parameters are identified using the genetic algorithm (GA) method. The vibration mitigation performance of the TMDI is further investigated through numerical analysis and shaking table experiments. Finally, integrated model tests of the FWT-TMDI system are conducted in a wave basin, where wind, wave, and current loads experienced by FWTs in service are accurately simulated. The results demonstrate that the TMDI reduces tower-top acceleration by more than 15%, providing an effective solution for vibration mitigation in FWTs.