6.3.2. Running SubDyn¶
This section discusses how to obtain and execute SubDyn from a personal computer. Both the stand-alone version and the FAST-coupled version of the software are considered.
6.3.2.1. Downloading the SubDyn Software¶
There are two forms of the SubDyn software to choose from: stand alone and coupled to the FAST simulator. Although the user may not necessarily need both forms, he/she would likely need to be familiar with and run the stand-alone model if building a model of the substructure from scratch. The stand-alone version is also helpful for model troubleshooting and may benefit users who are interested in conducting aero-hydro-servo-elastic simulations of an offshore wind turbine. For this reason, SubDyn can be obtained from two different repositories: one for the stand-alone SubDyn and one for the coupled solution through FAST.
6.3.2.1.1. Stand-Alone SubDyn Archive¶
Users can refer to Section 4 download the stand-alone SubDyn archive from our Web server at *https://nwtc.nrel.gov/SubDyn*. The file has a name similar to SD_v1.03.00a-rrd.exe, but may have a different version number. The user can then download the self-extracting archive (.exe) to expand the archive into a folder he/she specifies.
Fig. 6.16 WinZip Self-Extractor main window –TO REPLACE WITH CURRENT
ARCHIVE METHODS ETC.
The archive contains the bin, CertTest, Compiling, Documentation, and Source folders. The bin folder includes the main executable file, SubDyn_win32.exe, which is used to execute the stand-alone SubDyn program. The CertTest folder contains a collection of sample SubDyn input files and driver input files that can be used as templates for the user’s own models. If the user runs the CertTest.bat DOS script, he/she can compare the results to the ones stored in the NREL_Results subfolder. This manual may be found in the Documentation folder. The Compiling folder contains files for compiling the stand-alone SubDyn_win32.exe file with either Visual Studio or gFortran. The Fortran source code is located in the Source folder.
6.3.2.1.2. FAST Archive¶
Download the FAST archive, which includes a coupling to SubDyn, from our Web server at https://nwtc.nrel.gov/FAST8. The file has a name similar to FAST_v8.08.00.exe, but may have a different version number. Run the downloaded self-extracting archive (.exe) to expand the archive into a user-specified folder. The FAST executable file is located in the archive’s bin folder. Example models using the NREL 5-MW reference turbine and various substructures are located in the CertTest folder. These include Test19: OC3-Monopile, Test20: OC3-Tripod, Test21: OC4-jacket.
6.3.2.2. Running SubDyn¶
6.3.2.2.1. Running the Stand-Alone SubDyn Program¶
The stand-alone SubDyn program, SubDyn_win32.exe, simulates substructure dynamic responses of the user’s input model, without coupling to FAST. Unlike the coupled version, the stand-alone software requires the use of a driver file in addition to the primary SubDyn input file. This driver file specifies inputs normally provided to SubDyn by FAST, including motions of the TP reference point. Both the SubDyn summary file and the results output file are available when using the stand-alone SubDyn (see Section 4 for more information regarding the SubDyn output files).
Run the standalone SubDyn software from a DOS command prompt by typing, for example:
>SubDyn_win32.exe MyDriverFile.dvr
where, MyDriverFile.dvr is the name of the SubDyn driver file, as described in Section Section 6.3.3.3. The SubDyn primary input file is described in Section Section 6.3.3.2.
6.3.2.2.2. Running SubDyn Coupled to FAST¶
Run the coupled FAST software from a DOS command prompt by typing, for example:
>FAST_Win32.exe Test21.fst
where, Test21.fst is the name of the primary FAST input file. This input file has a feature switch to enable or disable the SubDyn capabilities within FAST, and a corresponding reference to the SubDyn input file. See the documentation supplied with FAST for further information.