Generator Selection and Comparative Performance in Offshore Oscillating Water Column Ocean Wave Energy Converters

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 603-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dara L. O’Sullivan ◽  
Anthony W. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Ocean Wave ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Ocean Wave Energy ◽  
Energy Converters

scholarly journals Review on Power Performance and Efficiency of Wave Energy Converters

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 4329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tunde Aderinto ◽  
Hua Li
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Ocean Wave ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Power Performance ◽  
Resource Potential ◽  
Hydrodynamic Efficiency ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Ocean Wave Energy ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Energy Converters

The level of awareness about ocean wave energy as a viable source of useful energy has been increasing recently. Different concepts and methods have been suggested by many researchers to harvest ocean wave energy. This paper reviews and compares the efficiencies and power performance of different wave energy converters. The types of analyses used in deriving the reported efficiencies are identified, and the stage of the power conversion processes at which the efficiencies were determined is also identified. In order to find a common way to compare the efficiencies of different technologies, the hydrodynamic efficiency in relation to the characteristic width of the wave energy converters and the wave resource potential are chosen in this paper. The results show that the oscillating body systems have the highest ratio in terms of the efficiency per characteristic width, and overtopping devices have the lowest. In addition, with better understanding of the devices’ dynamics, the efficiencies of the newer oscillating water column and body systems would increase as the potential wave energy level increases, which shows that those newer designs could be suitable for more potential locations with large variations in wave energy potentials. At last, discussion about the cost of ocean wave energy is presented as well.

Nonlinear 2D analysis of the efficiency of fixed Oscillating Water Column wave energy converters

2014 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 255-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyao Luo ◽  
Jean-Roch Nader ◽  
Paul Cooper ◽  
Song-Ping Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

Scale and Configuration Effects of an Airchamber on PTO of Oscillating Water Column Type Wave Energy Converters

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Ikoma ◽  
Shota Hirai ◽  
Yasuhiro Aida ◽  
Koichi Masuda
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Air Pressure ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Linear Potential ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Air Chamber ◽  
Energy Converters

Abstract Wave energy converters (WECs) have been extensively researched. The behaviour of the oscillating water column (OWC) in OWC WECs is extremely complex due to the interaction of waves, air, and turbines. Several problems must be overcome before such WECs can be put to practical use. One problem is that the effect of the difference in scale between a small-scale experimental model and a full-scale model is unclear. In this study, several OWC models with different scales and geometries were used in forced oscillation tests. The wave tank was 7.0 m wide, 24.0 m long, and 1.0 m deep. In the static water experiment, we measured the air pressure and water surface fluctuations in an air chamber. For the experiments, models with a box shape with an open bottom, a manifold shape with an open bottom, and a box shape with a front opening, respectively, were fabricated. Furthermore, 1/1, 1/2, and 1/4 scale models were fabricated for each shape to investigate the effects of scale and shape on the air chamber characteristics. Numerical calculations were carried out by applying linear potential theory and the results were compared with the experimental values. The results confirmed that the air chamber shape and scale affect the air pressure fluctuation and water surface fluctuation inside the OWC system.

Modelling extreme wave conditions for survivability tests of wave energy converters: CFD versus model tests

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Gubesch ◽  
Nagi Abdussamie ◽  
Irene Penesis ◽  
Christopher Chin ◽  
Chien Ming Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Offshore Structures ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Experimental Sample ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Numerical Generation ◽  
Energy Converters

<p>This study investigates the experimental and numerical generation of realistic extreme waves in the Model Test Basin (MTB) at the Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania, in order to test the survivability of offshore structures such as wave energy converters. The sea state and maximum wave height considered were collected during Tropical Cyclone Oma as it tracked down the Queensland Coast of Australia in February 2019. Upon successful generation of a repeatable experimental sample, the NewWave theory was used to regenerate the MTB surface elevation in a STAR-CCM+ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical wave tank. The experimental surface elevation data was analysed with a fast Fourier transform to obtain the wave component amplitudes (a<sub>n</sub>) and phase angles (ε<sub>n</sub>).  These parameters were then used to generate a polychromatic wave in CFD. The 2D CFD simulations were extended to a 3D simulation that included an oscillating water column wave energy converter as per the experimental conditions. Results indicate that experimental focused wave groups can be replicated in CFD software with a similarity of 0.9407 for 2D simulations.  However, by applying an amplification factor to the crest amplitude of the focussed waves, one may further obtain improved accuracy in both 2D and 3D simulations. Further mesh resolution studies surrounding the oscillating water column may improve the accuracy of 3D fluid structure interaction simulations when investigating survivability.</p>

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