Analysis of Wells turbine design parameters by numerical simulation of the OWC performance

This paper investigates by numerical simulation the influence of the Wells turbine aerodynamic design on the overall plant performance, as affected by the turbine peak efficiency and the range of flow rates within which the turbine can operate efficiently. The problem of matching the turbine to an oscillating water column (OWC) is illustrated by taking the wave climate and the OWC of the Azores power converter. The study was performed using a time-domain mathematical model based on linear water wave theory and on model experiments in a wave tank. Results are presented of numerical simulations considering several aerodynamic designs of the Wells turbine, with and without guide vanes, and with the use of a bypass pressure-relief valve.     

Stochastic modelling in wave power-equipment optimization: maximum energy production versus maximum profit

The paper presents an optimization study for the mechanical and electrical equipment of an oscillating-water-column (OWC) wave power plant of fixed shoreline or nearshore type, equipped with an air turbine. The plant’s structure geometry is assumed to be given and the corresponding hydrodynamic coefficients are known as functions of wave frequency. A stochastic model is adopted for the energy conversion process from wave to air turbine, it being assumed that the system is linear. The optimization concerns the turbine size, represented by its rotor diameter D. Two alternative criteria are used: (i) maximization of the produced electrical energy, (ii) maximization of the annual profit. An example calculation is presented, based on the hydrodynamic coefficients of the OWC on the island of Pico, Azores, and on the aerodynamic performance curves of its Wells turbine. The influence of the following parameters upon optimized turbine size and rated power output is analyzed: wave climate, capital costs of mechanical and electrical equipment, operation and maintenance costs, discount rate, equipment lifetime and price of electrical energy supplied to the grid.     

Declutching control of a wave energy converter

When hydraulic power take off (PTO) is used to convert the mechanical energy of a wave energy converter (WEC) into a more useful form of energy, the PTO force needs to be controlled. Continuous controlled variation of the PTO force can be approximated by a set of discrete values. This can be implemented using either variable displacement pumps or several hydraulic cylinders or several high pressure accumulators with different pressure levels. This pseudo-continuous control could lead to a complex PTO with a lot of components. A simpler way for controlling this hydraulic PTO is declutching control, which consists in switching on and off alternatively the wave energy converter's PTO. This can be achieved practically using a simple by-pass valve. In this paper, the control law of the valve is determined by using the optimal command theory. It is shown that, theoretically when considering a wave activated body type of WEC, declutching control can lead to energy absorption performance at least equivalent to that of pseudo-continuous control. The method is then applied to the case of the SEAREV wave energy converter, and it is shown than declutching control can even lead to a higher energy absorption, both in regular and irregular waves.     

Effect of reciprocating and unidirectional airflow on primary conversion of a pentagonal Backward Bent Duct Buoy

An Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device can output energy through reciprocating or unidirectional airflow. The unidirectional airflow is helpful to utilize a simple and high-efficiency unidirectional air turbine. The pentagonal BBDB proposed by us based on OWC principle can be regarded as a floating Oscillating Body and its Power Take-Off (PTO) consists of a chamber, a water column, a turbine and a generator. The Capture Width Ratio (CWR) of the pentagonal BBDB model with the reciprocating and unidirectional airflow was studied in this paper. The wave flume test results indicate the mean CWR of the pentagonal BBDB model with reciprocating airflow can reach up to 121.91% and the mean CWR of the model with unidirectional airflow could reach 100.94% during the whole wave cycle in regular waves. For irregular waves, the mean CWR of the model with the unidirectional airflow is as high as 62.83% during the whole wave cycle. Hopefully, the combination of the pentagonal BBDB with the check valve to output power during the air exhalation and conventional high-efficiency unidirectional turbine will improve the total efficiency of the BBDB.     

Deep ocean wave energy conversion using a cycloidal turbine

A lift based wave energy converter, namely, a cycloidal turbine, is investigated. This type of wave energy converter consists of a shaft with one or more hydrofoils attached eccentrically at a radius. The main shaft is aligned parallel to the wave crests and submerged at a fixed depth. In the two-dimensional limit, i.e. for large spans of the hydrofoil (or an array of these), the geometry of the converter is suitable for wave termination of straight crested Airy waves. Results from two-dimensional potential flow simulations, with thin hydrofoils modeled as either a point vortex or discrete vortex panel, are presented. The operation of the cycloidal turbine both as a wave generator as well as a wave-to-shaft energy converter interacting with a linear Airy wave is demonstrated. The impact on the performance of the converter for design parameters such as device size, submergence depth, and number of hydrofoils is shown. For optimal parameter choices, simulation results demonstrate inviscid energy conversion efficiencies of more than 99% of the incoming wave energy to shaft energy. This is achieved using feedback control to synchronize the rotational rate, blade pitch angle, and phase of the cycloidal wave energy converter to the incoming wave. While complete termination of the incoming wave is shown, the remainder of the energy is lost to harmonic waves traveling in the up-wave and down-wave directions.     

Control strategies for the Clam Wave Energy Device

A promising wave energy device being currently investigated is the ‘clam’. The clam extracts energy by pumping air through a specially designed (Wells) turbine. Although operation of the Wells turbine does not require a rectified air flow, some additional control will be necessary to optimize the phase of the clam motion for good efficiencies. An examination of the equation of motion in the time domain suggests the possibility of phase control by mechanical, power take-off, or pneumatic latching. Latching can be shown to increase the efficiency of the device in the longer wavelengths of the wave spectrum, i.e. those of high incident wave power. Equivalently latching could be used to keep the device efficiency high while reducing its size, possibly resulting in cheaper power extraction.     

Numerical modeling of a wave energy converter based on U-shaped interior oscillating water column

The paper presents a concept of a wave energy converter and the numerical model to calculate the hydrodynamic responses in waves and the power produced by the power take off system. The system consists of an asymmetric floater with an interior U-tank partially filled with water and two lateral air chambers connected by a duct. The motion of the U-shaped oscillating water column, mainly induced by the rolling of the floater, forces the air through the duct where a Wells turbine is installed to absorb the wave energy.The wave-floater hydrodynamics is calculated with a Green's function panel method, while the oscillating water column motions hydro-mechanics are derived from the one-dimensional Euler's equation. The dynamics of the Wells turbine is realistically represented by one additional differential equation on the unknown air pressure fluctuation. This equation is derived assuming small amplitude motions of the water column and assuming the linear isentropic relation is valid for the air thermodynamics in the air chambers. The Wells turbine is characterized by a drastic drop of efficiency above a critical pressure value due to stalling on the blades. The effect of a by-pass valve to prevent stalling is introduced in the numerical model in a simplistic way. The numerical model is implemented and tested for a wave energy converter with a displacement of 1150 t, including 490 t for the interior water column, and an installed turbine with 2.3 m of diameter. An analysis of the influence of changing different design parameters on the system efficiency is also presented.     

Efficiency of OWC wave energy converters: A virtual laboratory

The performance of an oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter depends on many factors, such as the wave conditions, the tidal level and the coupling between the chamber and the air turbine. So far most studies have focused on either the chamber or the turbine, and in some cases the influence of the tidal level has not been dealt with properly. In this work a novel approach is presented that takes into account all these factors. Its objective is to develop a virtual laboratory which enables to determine the pneumatic efficiency of a given OWC working under specific conditions of incident waves (wave height and period), tidal level and turbine damping. The pneumatic efficiency, or efficiency of the OWC chamber, is quantified by means of the capture factor, i.e. the ratio between the absorbed pneumatic power and the available wave energy. The approach is based on artificial intelligence—in particular, artificial neural networks (ANNs). The neural network architecture is chosen through a comparative study involving 18 options. The ANN model is trained and, eventually, validated based on an extensive campaign of physical model tests carried out under different wave conditions, tidal levels and values of the damping coefficient, representing turbines of different specifications. The results show excellent agreement between the ANN model and the experimental campaign. In conclusion, the new model constitutes a virtual laboratory that enables to determine the capture factor of an OWC under given wave conditions, tidal levels and values of turbine damping, at a lower cost and in less time than would be required for conventional laboratory tests.     

波浪作用下基于不同负载的一种Savonius型水轮机捕能性能研究

通过水轮机捕能是当前常用的海洋能利用方式之一。桨叶作为水轮机关键部件,其性能一直是研究的重点。针对目前波浪条件下带负载运转的Savonius型水轮机相关捕能性能研究较少的情况,采用数值仿真方法,结合对应工况条件的物理试验,研究了一种Savonius型水轮机在不同波浪环境下带负载运转的捕能性能。采用Star CCM+仿真软件,建立数值波浪水池,设置环境参数,划分网格调整变量进行水轮机运转的水动力模型数值研究。在造波试验水池中利用推板改变波浪周期与波高,进行水轮机运转的物理试验。采集在不同负载下水轮机桨叶的转速和扭矩数据,计算并分析功率等参数,总结变化趋势,评价捕能效果。研究发现水轮机在1.6 s的波浪周期条件下,桨叶承受1.5 N·m负载时达到最佳捕能效果,其功率为23 W。为实际海域中水轮机桨叶的结构设计研究和相关工程应用提供参考。     

Experimental and numerical investigation of non-predictive phase-control strategies for a point-absorbing wave energy converter

Phase control may substantially increase the power absorption in point-absorber wave energy converters. This study deals with validation of dynamic models and latching control algorithms for an oscillating water column (OWC) inside a fixed vertical tube of small circular cross-section by small-scale testing. The paper describes experimental and numerical results for the system's dynamics, using simple and practical latching control techniques that do not require the prediction of waves or wave forces, and which will be relevant to any type of point-absorbing devices.In the experimental set-up, the upper end of the tube was equipped with an outlet duct and a shut-off valve, which could be controlled to give a latching of the inner free surface movement. The pressure drop through the open valve is used as a simplified measure of the energy extraction. The control was realized by using the real-time measurement signals for the inner and outer surface displacement.A mathematical model of the system was established and applied in numerical simulation. In the case the OWC's diameter is much smaller than the wavelength and the wave amplitude much smaller than the draft, the free surface movement inside the tube can be described as an oscillating weightless piston. For this hydrodynamic problem an analytical solution is known. In addition, the mathematical model includes the effects of viscous flow losses, the air compressibility inside the chamber and the pressure drop across the valve. Experimental results were used to calibrate some of the model parameters, and the total model was formulated as a coupled system of six non-linear, first-order differential equations. Time-domain integration was used to simulate the system in order to test the control strategies and compare with experimental results.     

Research on the unsteady hydrodynamic characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbine

The unsteady hydrodynamic characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbine are investigated by numerical simulation based on viscous CFD method. The starting mechanism of the turbine is revealed through analyzing the interaction of its motion and dynamics during starting process. The operating hydrodynamic characteristics of the turbine in wave-current condition are also explored by combining with the linear wave theory. According to possible magnification of the cyclic loads in the maximum power tracking control of vertical axis turbine, a novel torque control strategy is put forward, which can improve the structural characteristics significantly without effecting energy efficiency.     

畸形波作用下张力腿浮式风力机动力响应特性

针对张力腿系泊浮式风力机的基础运动,忽略柔性构件的影响,建立气动—水动—系泊非线性耦合运动方程。在运动控制方程中包含张力腿系泊系统的非线性回复刚度,桨距角控制以及浮式基础运动对空气动力载荷的影响。在波浪载荷的计算中考虑二阶波浪载荷的作用。采用随机频率相位角调制法生成畸形波波面时历,计算在畸形波作用下张力腿型浮式风力机的动力响应特性。数值模拟结果表明,在畸形波作用下,浮式基础的运动及空气动力性能均受到了显著的影响。其中浮式基础的纵荡和纵摇运动分别受二阶差频与和频波浪力的影响,而垂荡运动的增加则主要是受下沉运动的影响。在畸形波经过的时刻,风力机的功率系数迅速下降,水平方向的风载荷波动先减小,随后其数值急剧下降,而垂直方向的风载荷波动增大。     

振荡水柱波能装置冲击式空气透平优化数值模拟研究

冲击式空气透平是振荡水柱式波能发电装置的二级能量转换装置,具有自启动性能好、在大流量系数区保持较高效率等优势,近年来应用越来越广泛.有学者提出在冲击式透平动叶片尖端安装环结构的设计,可以改善动叶片叶尖间隙处的气流流动形态,提高透平的工作性能.依托于此观点,构建了安装有环结构的冲击式透平的三维定常数值模型,并通过网格数量...     

Wells turbine with end plates for wave energy conversion

In order to improve the performance of the Wells turbine for wave energy conversion, the effect of end plate on the turbine characteristics has been investigated experimentally by model testing. As a result, it is found that the characteristics of the Wells turbine with end plates are superior to those of the original Wells turbine, i.e., the turbine without end plate and the characteristics are dependent on the size and position of end plate. Furthermore, by using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD), reason of the performance improvement of the turbine has been clarified and the effectiveness of the end plate has been demonstrated.     

Effects of Rotor Solidity on the Performance of Impulse Turbine for OWC Wave Energy Converter

Impulse turbine, working as a typical self-rectifying turbine, is recently utilized for the oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converters, which can rotate in the same direction under the bi-directional air flows. A numerical model established in Fluent is validated by the corresponding experimental results. The flow fields, pressure distribution and dimensionless evaluating coefficients can be calculated and analyzed. Effects of the rotor solidity varying with the change of blade number are investigated and the suitable solidity value is recommended for different flow coefficients.     

Modelling of a wave energy converter array with a nonlinear power take-off system in the frequency domain

This paper presents a nonlinear frequency domain model and uses this to assess the performance of a wave energy converter (WEC) array with a nonlinear power take-off (PTO). In this model, the nonlinear PTO forces are approximated by a truncated Fourier series, while the dynamics of the WEC array are described by a set of linear motion equations in the frequency domain, and the hydrodynamic coefficients are obtained with the boundary element method. A single heave absorber is firstly investigated to establish the accuracy of the new model in capturing the nonlinear behaviour of the pumping system. Subsequently, simulations of a 2D array with 18 WECs and a pillar in the centre (representing the tower of a wind turbine) are carried out to understand wave interference effects. Several optimisation strategies are proposed to improve the overall performance of the WEC array. These results demonstrate a computationally effective method for accounting for nonlinear effects in large WEC arrays. The proposed approach may potentially be applied for developing control algorithms for the adaptability of a 2D array to incoming wave excitation.     

半球形多向波聚合波道振荡水柱气室优化设计

为了解决振动水柱式波浪能转换装置收集多向波浪问题,本文设计了半球形多向聚合波道振荡水柱气室结构,以适合远海单点波浪能采集和发电。在规则波正向入射条件下,基于流体仿真分析软件(FLUENT)、流体动力学连续性假设和粘性不可压缩流体动量守恒的运动方程(Navier-Stokes方程)建立半球形振荡气室和三维数值波浪水槽模型。仿真结果表明:增设气室后壁,合理设计波道开口角度实现多向迎波捕获波浪能,优化前壁形状可降低波浪触底反射带来的能量耗散,同时提高了气室内空气压强和出气口速度,有效提升波浪能俘获效率,为后续发电的二次能量转换提供高效的空气动力。     

基于实密度的卧式浪流轮机水槽实验研究分析

实密度是影响轮机获能特性的关键因素之一。文中以卧式轮机实密度为基变量,以其获能系数为主要考察点,对3种实密度卧式轮机进行水槽实验方案设计和水动力性能研究。实验分别对水流流速、轮机旋转角速度、主轴转矩以及功率进行测量,并对其对主轴的扭矩、轮机的获能系数以及叶片的旋转特性进行定量分析,最终证实了该卧式轮机的单一运行特性。通过绘制基于实密度的轮机转矩—转角曲线、获能系数—尖速比曲线和轮机功率—尖速比曲线,阐明了实密度影响卧式轮机获能水动力性能的规律,即其获能系数和发电功率都随着工况速比呈先增后降趋势。实密度较低轮机因浪流流失而获得能量小,但实密度过高轮机会导致叶片间湍流涌动,加速叶片失速特性而影响轮机获能。这为卧式浪流轮机结构优化提供了可靠依据和借鉴。     

输出控制方法对Wells透平性能输出特性影响的研究

文中利用实验方法系统研究了负载控制技术对OW C波能转换装置的影响。研究结果表明,当透平完成自起动过程后,在装置输出最佳工况点处,输入波况对平均最佳进气迎角的影响很小,其值基本处于8~10°之间。因此,为实现变工况下波能装置的最佳性能输出,只需保证透平的平均进气迎角始终处于上述范围。反之,利用文中给出的平均最佳进气迎角也可确定透平的最佳转速,进而确定最佳工况点。