Dynamic Modeling and Control of Floating Wind Turbine Platforms with a Gyroscopic Stabilizer

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Authors: Ping Cheng, Tingyuan Zhang, Wenchuan Zhao, Decheng Wan
Cited by: 2
References: 22

Abstract

A gyroscopic stabilizer generates an anti-roll moment by regulating the precession angle of a high-speed rotor. By computing the precession-angle command in real time, the controller can effectively suppress roll motion. However, research on the application of gyroscopic stabilizers to floating wind turbines remains limited. In this study, the operating mechanism of a gyroscopic stabilizer is modeled, and frequency-domain stability analyses are conducted for the system dynamics both before and after the installation of the stabilizer. A pole-placement-based controller is designed to achieve active stabilization of wave-induced platform motions by adjusting the rotor precession angle. Based on wave spectrum analysis, numerical simulations are performed to compare system responses with and without the active controller under different sea conditions. The results demonstrate that the proposed anti-roll control strategy exhibits robust performance and can increase the roll reduction rate by at least a factor of two across a range of sea states. In addition, the anti-roll effectiveness is influenced by rotor speed and environmental conditions, with higher reduction rates achieved at higher rotor speeds, larger wave heights, and longer wave periods. In addition, we adopt a dual-gyro configuration to cancel yaw-interference moments, and the proposed controller is feedback-based (platform motion only), which is suitable for retrofit applications without requiring wave-preview sensors.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Wave and Wind Energy Systems Wind Energy Research and Development Vibration Control and Rheological Fluids

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Publisher
MDPI AG
Volume
14
Issue
5
Pages
510–510
Publication date
9 March 2026
Language
EN