Grey-based failure mode and effect analysis of floating offshore wind turbines

This paper proposes a Grey-based Failure Mode and Effect Analysis approach to complete the failure analysis of floating offshore wind turbines. A multi-level weighting method is first developed to evaluate interactions between systems and components. A grey priority number is then constructed to calculate and rank the hazard of failure items based on the grey system theory. The approach identifies critical items of floating offshore wind turbines, including eight components, 15 associated failure modes, and 24 root failure causes. Corresponding recommendations are suggested to mitigate their likelihood and impact on the entire wind turbine. A comparative analysis confirms the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method over the existing ones. Overall, the proposed approach contributes to the avoidance of failures and the maintenance scheduling of offshore wind turbines and wind farms. • A Grey-based Failure Mode and Effect Analysis is proposed for the failure analysis of floating offshore wind turbines. • A multi-level weighting method is first developed to evaluate interactions between systems and components. • A Grey Priority Number is determined to calculate and rank the hazard of failure items based on the Grey System Theory. • The approach identifies critical items including 8 components, 15 associated failure modes, and 24 root failure causes. • A comparative analysis confirms the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method over the existing ones.