How WEIS works

WEIS is a stack of software that can be used for floating turbine design and analysis. The turbine’s components (blade, tower, platform, mooring, and more) are parameterized in a geometry input. The system engineering tool WISDEM determines component masses, costs, and engineering parameters that can be used to determine modeling inputs. A variety of pre-processing tools are used to convert these system engineering models into simulation models.

The modeling_options.yaml determines how the turbine is simulated. We currently support OpenFAST and RAFT.

The analysis_options.yaml determine how to run simulations, either a single run for analysis, a sweep or design of experiments, or an optimization.

A full description of the inputs can be found in the WEIS Inputs.

Stack of software tools contained in WEIS

WEIS is “glued” together using openmdao components and groups.

WEIS works best by starting with pre-existing examples, which are described here: Capabilities and Examples.

WEIS can be adapted to solve a wide variety of problems. If you have questions or would like to discuss WEIS’s functionality further, please email dzalkind (at) nrel (dot) gov.