Wave Energy-Driven Resonant Sea-Water Pump

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. R. Czitrom

A wave-driven sea-water pump which operates by resonance is described. Oscillations in the resonant and exhaust ducts perform similar to two mass-spring systems coupled by a third spring acting for the compression chamber. Performance of the pump is optimized by means of a variable volume air compression chamber (patents pending) which tunes the system to the incoming wave frequency. Wave tank experiments with an instrumented, 1:20-scale model of the pump are described. Performance was studied under various wave and tuning conditions and compared to a numerical model which was found to describe the system accurately. Successful sea trials at an energetic coastline provide evidence of the system’s viability under demanding conditions.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Eduardo Silva de Souza ◽  
Nuno Fonseca ◽  
Petter Andreas Berthelsen ◽  
Maxime Thys

Abstract Design optimization of mooring systems is an important step towards the reduction of costs for the floating wind turbine (FWT) industry. Accurate prediction of slowly-varying horizontal motions is needed, but there are still questions regarding the most adequate models for low-frequency wave excitation, and damping, for typical FWT concepts. To fill this gap, it is fundamental to compare existing load models against model tests results. This paper describes a calibration procedure for a three-columns semi-submersible FWT, based on adjustment of a time-domain numerical model to experimental results in decay tests, and tests in waves. First, the numerical model and underlying assumptions are introduced. The model is then validated against experimental data, such that the adequate load models are chosen and adjusted. In this step, Newman’s approximation is adopted for the second-order wave loads, using wave drift coefficients obtained from the experiments. Calm-water viscous damping is represented as a linear and quadratic model, and adjusted based on decay tests. Additional damping from waves is then adjusted for each sea state, consisting of a combination of a wave drift damping component, and one component with viscous nature. Finally, a parameterization procedure is proposed for generalizing the results to sea states not considered in the tests.


1980 ◽  
Vol 1 (17) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
D. Prandle ◽  
E.R. Funke ◽  
N.L. Crookshank ◽  
R. Renner

The use of array processors for the numerical modelling of estuarine systems is discussed here in the context of "hybrid modelling", however, it is shown that array processors may be used to advantage in independent numerical simulations. Hybrid modelling of tidal estuaries was first introduced by fiolz (1977) and later by Funke and Crookshank (1978). In a hybrid model, tidal propagation in an estuary is simulated by dynamically linking an hydraulic (or physical) scale model of part of the estuary to a numerical model of the remaining part in a manner such that a free interchange of flow occurs at the interface(s). Typically, the elevation of the water surface at the boundary of the scale model is measured and transmitted to the numerical model. In return, the flow computed at the boundary of the numerical model is fed directly into the scale model. This approach enables the extent of the scale model to be limited to the area of immediate interest (or to that area where flow conditions are such that they can be most accurately simulated by a scale model). In addition, since the region simulated by the numerical model can be extended almost indefinitely, the problems of spurious reflections from downstream boundaries can be eliminated. In normal use, numerical models are evaluated on the basis of computing requirements, cost and accuracy. The computer time required to simulate one tide cycle is, in itself, seldom of interest except in so far as it affects the above criteria. However in hybrid modelling this parameter is often paramount since concurrent operation of the numerical and scale models requires that the former must keep pace with the latter. The earlier hybrid model of the St. Lawrence (Funke and Crookshank, 1978) involved a one-dimensional numerical model of the upstream regions of the river. However, future applications are likely to involve extensive two-dimensional numerical simulation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob Siedersleben ◽  
Marco Schuster ◽  
Dennis Ties ◽  
Benjamin Zwick ◽  
Markus Aufleger ◽  
...  

<p>The presented work is part of the optimization of the sediment management at the hydroelectric powerplants in Reutte/Höfen in Austria. The weirs of the two powerplants are situated at the alpine river Lech, located about 3 km upstream of the Lechaschau gauge (A=1012.2 km²). Totally five sluice gates and a fixed overflow weir are controlling the upstream reservoir, being subjected to high rates of coarse bed load material. In frame of a coupled approach of physical and numerical modelling, different options to (i) avoid/minimize sediment deposition and (ii) allow improved sediment flushing were tested and optimized. Besides a lowering of energy losses (reduced spilling times) the reduction of depositions downstream close to the turbine outlet were considered.</p><p>The physical model covers the hydropower and weir system of both power plants within a stretch of 400m / 150m using a model scale of 1:25. Investigated situations covered periods of reservoir sedimentation, flushing of the reservoir and typical flood flow situations (e.g. HQ1 and an unsteady HQ5 event). For model parametrization, sediment samples to quantify size distribution were taken in the field. Sediment inputs to the model were realized dynamically and were required (due to scaling effects) to exclude cohesive fractions having a minimum particle size of 0.5 mm. The full-area surface measurement of the river bed was made by means of airborne laser bathymetry and echo sounding.</p><p>As part of an optimization of the overall sediment management strategy, the focus of the presented research is on the western located runoff power plant Höfen. Via a lateral water intake, a maximum design flow of 15 m³/s is withdrawn causing that the intake structure is subjected to sediment depositions. Within the described scale model (1:25) and a partial scale model (1:15) covering the western side, several management options and configurations of sediment guiding walls were tested. Erosion and deposition as well as the transported material are assessed by 3D laser scanning and permanent monitoring of transported sediment load entering and leaving the scale model.</p><p>Complementary, a 2D hydro numerical model using a layer based multi fraction approach for sediment transport is set up for an extended area to simulate the morpho-dynamic behavior. The numerical model covers the whole weir system and 750 m of the upstream part of the Lech. The simulations made were realized at nature scale and allowed to mimic the erosion and deposition pattern obtained within the physical modelling for different tested options. Regardless of a chosen guiding wall setup, the results showed that each one is compromise between sediment defense and the effectiveness of the subsequent flushing processes.</p>


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hengxu Liu ◽  
Feng Yan ◽  
Fengmei Jing ◽  
Jingtao Ao ◽  
Zhaoliang Han ◽  
...  

This paper introduces a new point-absorber wave energy converter (WEC) with a moonpool buoy—the moonpool platform wave energy converter (MPWEC). The MPWEC structure includes a cylinder buoy and a moonpool buoy and a Power Take-off (PTO) system, where the relative movement between the cylindrical buoy and the moonpool buoy is exploited by the PTO system to generate energy. A 1:10 scale model was physically tested to validate the numerical model and further prove the feasibility of the proposed system. The motion responses of and the power absorbed by the MPWEC studied in the wave tank experiments were also numerically analyzed, with a potential approach in the frequency domain, and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code in the time domain. The good agreement between the experimental and the numerical results showed that the present numerical model is accurate enough, and therefore considering only the heave degree of freedom is acceptable to estimate the motion responses and power absorption. The study shows that the MPWEC optimum power extractions is realized over a range of wave frequencies between 1.7 and 2.5 rad/s.


Author(s):  
Marit I. Kvittem ◽  
Petter Andreas Berthelsen ◽  
Lene Eliassen ◽  
Maxime Thys

Hydrodynamic model tests and numerical simulations may be combined in a complementary manner during the design and qualification of new offshore structures. In the EU H2020 project LIFES50+ (lifes50plus.eu), a model test campaign of floating offshore wind turbines using Real-Time Hybrid Model (ReaTHM) testing techniques was carried out at SINTEF Ocean in fall 2017. The present paper focuses on the process of calibrating a numerical model to the experimental results. The concepts tested in the experimental campaign was a 1:36 scale model of the public version of the 10MW OO-Star Wind Floater semi-submersible offshore wind turbine. A time-domain numerical model was developed based on the as-built scale model. The hull was considered as rigid, while bar elements were used to model the mooring system and tower in a coupled finite element approach. First-order frequency-dependent added mass, potential damping, and excitation forces/moments were evaluated across a range of frequencies using a panel method. Distributed viscous forces on the hull and mooring lines were added to the numerical model according to Morison’s equation. Potential difference-frequency excitation forces were also included by applying Newman’s approximation. The quasi static properties of the mooring system were assessed by comparing the restoring force and maximum line tension with the pull-out test. Drag coefficients for the line segments were estimated by imposing the measured fairlead motion from model tests as forced displacement and comparing the calculated and measured dynamic line tension. The linear and viscous damping coefficients were first estimated based on the decay tests, and the tuned damping coefficients were compared to initial guesses based on the Reynolds and Keulegan-Carpenter number at model scale. The results were then applied in the numerical model, and simulations in extreme irregular waves were compared to the experiments. It was found that second order drift forces proved to be significant, particularly for the severe irregular seastate. These could not be modelled correctly applying the potential drift forces together with quadratic damping matrix tuned to the free decay test. And the model with viscous drag coefficients tuned to decay tests also underestimated the slow drift motions. Thus, new viscous drag coefficients were determined to match the low frequency platform response. To inverstigate the performance of the tuned model, comparisons were made for a moderate seastate and for a simulation with both waves and wind on an operating turbine. In the end, possible further improvements to the modelling were suggested.


Author(s):  
Chengqian Ma ◽  
Ning Ma ◽  
Xiechong Gu

Abstract Ship maneuvering performance and rolling in waves under complicated environmental conditions are of significant importance for safety and economic reasons. The existing methods for predicting the maneuvering in adverse sea conditions can be categorized into unified two-time scale model, hybrid approach and CFD method. However, traditional potential methods rely tightly on ship viscous force data from test results, and CFD methods of free running ship require large computational resources consumption. In this paper, a 4-DOF (surge, sway, yaw and roll) model based on MMG method considering the wave effect is established to predict the trajectory and rolling motion with better time efficiency. The 1st order wave force and mean 2nd order drift force in this time-domain model are calculated by the 3D panel method and Cummins impose response function. Instead of model experiments, the hydrodynamic derivatives in the maneuvering model can be calculated by RANS-based numerical simulations of the Planar Motion Mechanism (PMM) test in calm water. Verification for grid convergence is also conducted according to state-of-the-art study. The predicted turning trajectory and rolling angle of the S175 containership in regular waves using CFD results show better agreement with experiment data than empirical formula results. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that this model is also capable of predicting the ship motion in regular waves with practical accuracy. And the effects of the wave frequency, wave height are investigated consequently base on numerical simulation results.


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