Hydrodynamic response of offshore floating photovoltaic arrays under varied connection configurations

The hydrodynamic performance of floating photovoltaic (FPV) platforms is fundamentally governed by their multi-body connection mechanisms. This study investigates the hydrodynamic response of China's inaugural wave-resistant FPV platform, “Yellow Sea I” employing a viscous flow theory-based model and incorporating both hinge and spring connection types. The reliability of the numerical model was first validated using newly performed multi-body physical experiments. Systematic simulations were subsequently conducted to analyze the hydrodynamic responses of platforms featuring both connection types under diverse operational conditions. A comprehensive comparative analysis was performed, focusing on platform motion responses, mooring tensions, and wave loads, supplemented by detailed analysis of surrounding flow field characteristics and vorticity distributions. These results show that the spring connection exhibits greater advantages at small λ/L values: it achieves energy dissipation by optimizing motion degrees of freedom, thereby reducing mooring loads. The hinged connection demonstrates superior heave stability and stronger surge motion controllability under the condition of large λ/L ratios. This study provides a basis for the connection design of multi-body offshore FPV platforms.