Hydrodynamic performance of a pile-supported OWC breakwater: An analytical study

A pile-supported OWC breakwater is a novel marine structure in which an oscillating water column (OWC) is integrated into a pile-supported breakwater, with a dual function: generating carbon-free energy and providing shelter for port activities by limiting wave transmission. In this work we investigate the hydrodynamics of this novel structure by means of an analytical model based on linear wave theory and matched eigenfunction expansion method. A local increase in the back-wall draft is adopted as an effective strategy to enhance wave power extraction and reduce wave transmission. The effects of chamber breadth, wall draft and air chamber volume on the hydrodynamic performance are examined in detail. We find that optimizing power take-off (PTO) damping for maximum power leads to both satisfactory power extraction and wave transmission, whereas optimizing for minimum wave transmission penalizes power extraction excessively; the former is, therefore, preferable. An appropriate large enough air chamber volume can enhance the bandwidth of high extraction efficiency through the air compressibility effect, with minimum repercussions for wave transmission. Meanwhile, the air chamber volume is found to be not large enough for the air compressibility effect to be relevant at engineering scales. Finally, a two-level practical optimization strategy on PTO damping is adopted. We prove that this strategy yields similar wave power extraction and wave transmission as the ideal optimization approach.     

Experimental hydrodynamic investigation of a fixed offshore Oscillating Water Column device

Oscillating Water Column (OWC) is one of the pioneer devices in harnessing wave energy; however, it is not fully commercialized perhaps due to the complicated hydrodynamic behavior. Previous studies are significantly devoted to OWC devices located in nearshore and coastal regions where incident wave energy would experience dissipation more than offshore. In this paper, a 1:15 scaled fixed offshore OWC model is tested in a large towing tank of National Iranian Marine Laboratory. Wave spectrum shape effect on the efficiency of the OWC model is addressed. Moreover, the paper investigates the effects of the geometric and hydrodynamic factors on OWC device efficiency and uncovers new points in nonlinear interaction occurring inside the chamber; i.e. sloshing. The results indicate that shape of the spectrum inside the chamber is affected by the type of incident wave spectrum, especially for long waves. Pierson–Moskowitz spectrum leaded to higher efficiency rather than JONSWAP spectrum at longer incident wave periods. According to efficiency analysis, increasing wave height may lead to air leakage from the chamber followed by vortex generation, which is a reason for decreasing the efficiency of the OWC device. Furthermore, no shift in the resonant period of the OWC model, due to wave height increase, was observed at the opening ratios equal or smaller than 1.28%. Spectral analysis of water fluctuation inside the OWC chamber illustrates two modes of sloshing. The first mode can be seen at short period waves while the second mode is visible at long period waves. The sloshing modes approximately vanish by increasing draft value.     

Wave power extraction from an oscillating water column along a straight coast

In order to study the effects of coastline on wave power absorption, we describe here a linearized theory of an oscillating water column (OWC) installed on a straight coast. The sea depth is assumed to be constant and the coast is a vertical cliff. The column is a vertical circular cylinder half embedded in the cliff and open on the seaside. Forced by incident waves from any direction, the water surface inside pushes the dry air above through a Wells turbine system to generate power. Carrying out the linearized theories of radiation and diffraction analytically, we calculate the coefficients of apparent mass and radiation damping, and the chamber pressure. Optimum absorption efficiency is examined under the constraint of constant chamber volume. Results are compared with a parallel study of an OWC installed either offshore or at the tip of a thin breakwater.     

带空气透平的后弯管浮式防波堤实验研究

针对海工作业平台、海洋养殖网箱等海洋装备的安全防护问题,提出了一种带空气透平的后弯管浮式防波堤,该空气透平既可将作用在防波堤上的波浪能转化成机械能并用于发电,还可显著减小防波堤的锚链力。在介绍了防波堤原理和结构特点的基础上,设计了物理实验模型,并在实验室造波池内进行了模型试验,研究了波浪周期、波高、吃水深度与弯管数量等因素对后弯管浮式防波堤透射系数和锚链力的影响规律。研究结果表明,波浪周期越短,波高越低,防波堤的透射系数越小,锚 链力越小,其消波性能优于传统的浮式防波堤.     

基于主客观权重集成法的OWC装置波能转换效率评价

OWC装置的结构形式繁多,共振周期也各不相同,全面合理地评价OWC装置的工作性能具有重要的现实意义。为优化OWC装置的工程选型,文章基于主客观权重集成法,分别采用层次分析法和熵值法计算峰值波能转换效率、一级衰减和二级衰减3个指标的主观权值和客观权值,并通过优化模型进行组合,从而确定综合权值;利用3个指标的综合权值,对4种不同结构的OWC装置的平均波能转换效率进行评分,并对评分结果进行验证和分析。研究结果表明:在所选的4种装置结构中,圆截面U-OWC的评分最高,即具有最高的平均波能转换效率;与传统OWC结构相比,U-OWC结构的平均波能转换效率较高,在实际工程中有更好的表现,在满足条件时宜优先采用。     

Numerical study of the motions and drift force of a floating OWC device

The motion and the drift force of a floating OWC (oscillating water column) wave energy device in regular waves are studied taking account of the oscillating surface-pressure due to the pressure drop across the duct of the air chamber. The potential problem inside the chamber is formulated by making use of the Green integral equation associated with the Rankine-type Green function while the outer problem with the Kelvin-type Green function. The added mass, wave damping and excitation coefficients as well as the motion and drift force of the OWC device are calculated for various values of parameter related to the pressure drop.     

基于VOF模型的OWC气室波浪场数值分析

近年来,振荡水柱形式在波能转换装置中得到了广泛应用,由于波况不同,需对气室加以研究并对其形状参量进行优化,从而使空气流速和能量转换达到最大值.利用基于VOF模型建立二维数值波浪水槽,将数值计算的振荡水柱在气室内的升沉运动与物理模型试验进行比较,验证其正确性,并将OWC气室的研究手段予以推广.     

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.     

非对称垂荡式振荡水柱波能转换装置的水动力性能

为提升波能转换装置的经济竞争力,针对非对称垂荡式振荡水柱（OWC）波能转换装置,基于势流理论和匹配特征函数展开法,通过引入盖根堡多项式近似表征结构尖角附近的流场奇异性行为,深入研究后墙吃水深度（非对称）、墙体厚度和线性弹簧系数对垂荡式OWC装置的波能转换效率、透射系数、气室内平均液面高程等水动力参数的影响规律。研究结果显示,后墙吃水深度及墙体厚度的增加会提升装置在长波区域的高效转换能力,并且显著提高结构物整体阻波防浪性能;线性弹簧的出现,能调节水柱振荡和结构垂荡运动响应之间的相位差,从而有效拓宽垂荡式OWC装置的高效频率带。     

Numerical study of air chamber for oscillating water column wave energy convertor

Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave energy converting system is one of the most widely used facilities all over the world.The air chamber is utilized to convert the wave energy into the pneumatic energy.The numerical wave tank based on the two-phase VOF model is established in the present study to investigate the operating performance of OWC air chamber.The RANS equations,standard k-ε turbulence model and dynamic mesh technology are employed in the numerical model.The effects of incident wave conditions and shape parameters on the wave energy converting efficiency are studied and the capability of the present numerical wave tank on the corresponding engineering application is validated.     

OWC装置空气透平压降作用试验研究

空气透平的压降作用及由其带来的空气流速变化,是串联2次能量转换过程、实现两转换过程耦合的核心要素.试验主要是在物理模型的基础上,对带有冲击式透平的OWC装置能量转换影响因素进行研究.试验主要考察2次能量转换耦合作用下,气室内自由水面变换、气室内压强变化、输气管内空气流速变换及三者耦合与相互作用.     

Investigations on 3D effects and correlation between wave height and lip submergence of an offshore stationary OWC wave energy converter

Understanding the hydrodynamic interactions between ocean waves and the oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter is crucial for improving the device performance. Most previous relevant studies have focused on testing onshore and offshore OWCs using 2D models and wave flumes. Conversely, this paper provides experimental results for a 3D offshore stationary OWC device subjected to regular waves of different heights and periods under a constant power take–off (PTO) damping simulated by an orifice plate of fixed diameter. In addition, a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the RANS equations and volume of fluid (VOF) surface capturing scheme was developed and validated against the experimental data. Following the validation stage, an extensive campaign of computational tests was performed to (1) discover the impact of testing such an offshore OWC in a 2D domain or a wave flume on device efficiency and (2) investigate the correlation between the incoming wave height and the OWC front wall draught for a maximum efficiency via testing several front lip draughts for two different rear lip draughts under two wave heights and a constant PTO damping. It is found that the 2D and wave flume modelling of an offshore OWC significantly overestimate the overall power extraction efficiency, especially for wave frequencies higher than the chamber resonant frequency. Furthermore, a front lip submergence equal to the wave amplitude affords maximum efficiency whilst preventing air leakage, hence it is recommended that the front lip draught is minimized.     

Wave Attenuation Performance and the Influencing Factors of A Lower Arc-Plate Breakwater

Comprehensive experimental and numerical studies have been undertaken to investigate wave energy dissipation performance and main influencing factors of a lower arc-plate breakwater. The numerical model, which considers nonlinear interactions between waves and the arc-plate breakwater, has been constructed by using the velocity wave- generating method, the volume of fluid (VOF) method and the finite volume method. The results show that the relative width, relative height and relative submergence of the breakwater are three main influencing factors and have significant influence on wave energy dissipation of the lower arc-plate open breakwater. The transmission coefficient is found to decrease with the increasing relative width, and the minimum transmission coefficient is 0.15 when the relative width is 0.45. The reflection coefficient is found to vary slightly with the relative width, and the maximum reflection coefficient is 0.53 when the relative width is 0.45. The transmission and reflection coefficients are shown to increase with the relative wave height for approximately 85% of the experimental tests when the relative width is 0.19 0.45. The transmission coefficients at relative submergences of 0.04, 0.02 and 0 are clearly shown to be greater than those at relative submergences of 0.02 and 0.04, while the reflection coefficient exhibits the opposite relationship. After the wave interacts with the lower arc-plate breakwater, the wave energy is mainly converted into transmission, reflection and dissipation energies. The wave attenuation performance is clearly weakened for waves with greater heights and longer periods.     

Study on Performance of Savonius Rotor Type Wave Energy Converter Used in Conjunction with Floating Breakwater

In the present study, the performance characteristics of a Savonius rotor type wave energy converter used in conjunction with a conventional double-buoy floating breakwater is investigated using physical model studies. The Savonius rotor type converter is suspended under the double-buoy floating breakwater to achieve wave attenuation while generating electricity, thereby enhancing the overall wave-elimination effect of the combination. The Savonius rotor is tested with different water submergence depths, and a reasonable relative submergence depth is determined within the scope of the research parameters. The hydrodynamics and energy capture performance of the combined breakwater with four different sizes of Savonius rotor under different wave conditions are studied, and the transmission coefficient of the experimental device is analyzed. The results show that when the optimal relative submergence depth is 0.65 D, where D is the impeller diameter, there is a correspondence between the optimal performance of Savonius rotor with different rotor sizes and the wave period and wave height. The optimal energy capture efficiency of the wave energy converter reaches 17%-20.5%, and the transmission coefficient is reduced by35%-45% compared with the conventional double-buoy breakwater.     

Hydrodynamic performance of a T-shaped floating breakwater

The comprehensive utilization of floating breakwaters, specially acting as a supporting structure for offshore marine renewable energy explorations, has received more and more attention recently. Based on linear water-wave theory, the hydrodynamic performance of a T-shaped floating breakwater is semi-analytically investigated through the matched eigenfunction expansion method (MEEM). Auxiliary functions, to speed up the convergence and improve the accuracy in the numerical computations, are introduced to represent the singular behavior of fluid field near the lower salient corners of the structure. The effects of the height and installation position of the vertical screen on the reflection and transmission coefficients, dynamic response and wave forces are examined. It is found that the presence of the screen shifts the resonance frequency of RAO for both surge and pitch modes to the low-frequency area, while has no effect on heave mode. The identical added masses, damping and transmission coefficients can be obtained in the cases where the screen holds the same distance away from the longitudinal central axis of the upper box-type structure. Moreover, a relatively small pitch response can be achieved in a wide wave–frequency range, when the breakwater is Γ-shaped.     

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.     

岸式振荡水柱波能装置的波浪载荷及保护措施探讨

本文对振荡水柱波能装置的水柱做了时域计算，研究了内水柱在气室处于封闭状态、有阻尼状态和无阻尼状态下的动力响应。得出了相应的波浪载荷，并对波能装置的几种保护措施作了探讨。数值结果表明，带有阻尼的气室不能有效地阻止内水柱的运动，将使结构承受危险载荷的打击；全封闭的气室能有效地阻止内水柱的运动，但可能使气室里产生高压；收缩口与破浪锥联合作用，可以消耗水柱的动能，大大地减少载荷，是一种有前途的保护措施。     

A highly wave dissipation offshore breakwater

The aim of this paper is to develop an offshore breakwater, for which coefficients of both the wave reflection and transmission have low values. The breakwater is suggested to compose of n layers of porous materials with different porosities. A complex eigen function method is used in the theoretical analysis. Continuities of both mass flux and fluid pressure are assumed at interfaces between every two adjoining porous materials and at the interface between end materials and water region. Following a series of mathematical processes, the coefficients of the wave transmission and reflection along with the wave energy loss are calculated. The porosity of materials is varied in computations; and results are compared among structures composing of different layers of porous materials. A single layer offshore breakwater is shown to reduce simultaneously the coefficients of transmission and reflection only when the structure is very wide in the direction of wave propagation, and the structure material has a high porosity. A multilayer breakwater, however, can function well in reducing both coefficients at a much narrower width; structure having more layers can be more effective at narrower width. Finally, several experiments are conducted; theoretical computations and experimental results agree well.     

双平板式透空堤消能效果评价方法

双平板式透空堤具有较为优越的消浪性能备受专家学者关注.目前关于其消浪性能的评价多采用透射波高法开展,仅考虑波高一个参数.本文采用透射波高法、波浪能量法和波能流法分别对平板式透空堤的消能效果进行评价,结果表明,综合考虑波高、水深和周期三个参数的波能流法更加全面与深入.探讨了双平板式透空堤迎浪向与背浪向处波能流的主要影响因...     

弧板式透空堤消浪性能影响因素数值研究

弧板式透空堤是由弧型板组成的新型防波堤结构。为探讨其透射系数的影响因素,利用Fluent软件基于N-S方程构建了波浪与板式透空堤相互作用的数值模型,讨论了相对潜深、入射波周期、相对波高、相对板宽和结构型式对透射系数的影响。结果表明:弧板式透空堤的透射系数随着相对波高和入射波周期的增大而增大,在静水面附近透射系数最小,尤以静水面和略高于静水面时的消浪效果最佳;在相同波浪要素条件下,静水面及其上0.02 m和0.04 m位置处,弧板式透空堤的消浪效果明显优于平板式透空堤。