Abstract
The collection system design in floating offshore wind farms (FOWFs) significantly influences both economic viability and operational reliability. This study proposes a two-stage optimization approach to minimize cable costs while ensuring high system performance. In Stage I, floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) are grouped using a fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering algorithm that accounts for both angular separation and spatial proximity. For each resulting cluster, an initial cable layout is generated by constructing a minimum spanning tree (MST) using Prim's algorithm. Stage II applies the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) to refine the routine of dynamic and static cables, optimizing connection points while considering cable parameters and system constraints. In particular, the model ensures that dynamic cables bypass mooring line movement areas (MLMAs) to enhance operational safety. Case studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in bypassing MLMAs and reducing overall cable costs. Furthermore, the impacts of loop configurations and seawater depth on cable expenditures are analyzed, providing valuable insights for the planning and design of FOWF collection systems.