岸式波力发电装置水动力性能试验研究

通过模型试验研究,得到海岸岸坡、气室宽度与频率响应和吸能效率之间的关系和规律,验证了一种理论计算方法的可靠性,证明该计算方法对波能电站的设计和工程选址有一定的参考价值。     

Model study of a shoreline wave-power system

A wave-power system which combines the concept of a breakwater and a harbor resonance chamber was developed in this study. In the caisson chamber, a multi-resonant oscillating water column (MOWC) was formed to push or suck air through the air turbine and thus continuously generated the power. The proposed wave-power system has two aims in mind: one is shore protection and the other is to extract energy from the ocean. To achieve an optimal effect of harbor resonance when excited by incident waves of various periods, a 60° opening of the cylindrical chamber with an entrance section and an arc-shaped curve board in front of the caisson was designed. In order to assess the energy-conversion efficiency and the hydraulic performance, a 1/20 model of this system was constructed and tested in the wave tank under various wave conditions. Our experimental data for the amplification factor of the MOWC agree well with previous theoretical results [Lee, J.J., 1971. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 45, 375–394]. The curve board proves to be useful: it not only broadens the resonant period but also increases the energy-extraction rate. The reflection coefficient was found to be generally low and to decrease with increasing wave height. However, due to the relatively high energy loss of the MOWC, only 28.5% of the incident-wave energy was converted into air energy, indicating that there are still areas for further improvement. In any event, the experimental results provided a clear picture of the energy-transformation process, and demonstrated the preliminary feasibility of this wave-energy device.     

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.     

An experimental investigation into the wave power extraction of a floating box-type breakwater with dual pneumatic chambers

The oscillating water column (OWC) device is in a leading position for wave power extraction but has not achieved fully commercial at the current stage. In addition to enhancing the OWC performance, installing OWCs on floating breakwaters, which owns the merits of both cost-sharing and offshore power supply, is a practicality with high economic viability. In this study, a series of wave-flume experiments were conducted in regular waves to examine the wave power extraction of a floating box-type breakwater with dual pneumatic chambers. The flow characteristics of the orifices used to simulate the PTOs was pre-calibrated through another series of experiments, so the power extraction in this study can be obtained with only the pressure measurement. The effects of wave period, chamber draft, water depth and arrangement of chambers on the power extraction were examined. Our experimental results showed that the power extraction was mainly due to the water column oscillation inside the chamber, and differentiation in the designed natural periods of dual chambers could widen the efficiency bandwidth of power extraction. The front chamber always played the main role in power extraction and its natural period should be designed against the dominating period of the wave spectrum; in contrast, the power extraction of the rear chamber was only a supplement and its natural period should be designed against longer waves which were more easily transmitted, thus a PTO of small power capacity maybe more realistic. It was also worth noting that the water column oscillation was more dependent on the wave period rather than controlled by the wave scattering under different water depths.     

Analytical investigation of hydrodynamic performance of a dual pontoon WEC-type breakwater

Based on the linear potential flow theory and matching eigen-function expansion technique, an analytical model is developed to investigate the hydrodynamics of two-dimensional dual-pontoon floating breakwaters that also work as oscillating buoy wave energy converters (referred to as the integrated system hereafter). The pontoons are constrained to heave motion independently and the linear power take-off damping is used to calculate the absorbed power. The proposed model is verified by using the energy conservation principle. The effects of the geometrical parameters on the hydrodynamic properties of the integrated system, including the reflection and transmission coefficients and CWR (capture width ratio, which is defined as the ratio of absorbed wave power to the incident wave power in the device width). It is found that the natural frequency of the heave motion and the spacing of the two pontoons are the critical factors affecting the performance of the integrated system. The comparison between the results of the dual-pontoon breakwater and those of the single-pontoon breakwater shows that the effective frequency range (for condition of transmission coefficient K_T < 0.5 and the total capture width ratio η_total > 20%) of the dual-pontoon system is broader than that of the single-pontoon system with the same total volume. For the two-pontoon system, the effective frequency range can be broadened by decreasing the draft of the front pontoon within certain range.     

Wave-power absorption by a periodic linear array of oscillating water columns

This paper describes a theoretical analysis of the ocean wave energy absorption by a periodic linear array of oscillating water columns (OWCs) of arbitrary planform. The analysis is based on classical linear water wave theory and uses the expressions for the wave field resulting from time-harmonic pressure distributions on the free surface. The water depth is assumed finite and constant. The cases of oblique and normal incidence are analysed. A linear power take-off mechanism is assumed, but a complex characteristic constant (allowing for phase control) and air compressibility are considered. Special analytical expressions are derived for OWCs of rectangular and circular planforms. Numerical results for circular chambers show that the hydrodynamic interaction can substantially change the maximum energy absorption, depending on array and chamber geometry and on angle of incidence.     

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.     

OWC wave energy devices with air flow control

A theoretical model is developed to simulate the energy conversion, from wave to turbine shaft, of an oscillating-water-column (OWC) plant equipped with a Wells air-turbine and with a valve (in series or in parallel with the turbine) for air-flow control. Numerical simulations show that the use of a control valve, by preventing or reducing the aerodynamic stall losses at the turbine rotor blades, may provide a way of substantially increasing the amount of energy produced by the plant, particularly at the higher incident wave power levels. From the hydrodynamic point of view, a by-pass valve or a throttle valve should be used depending on whether the wave energy absorbing system is over-damped or under-damped by the turbine.     

底铰摇板式波浪能装置水动力性能解析研究

对底铰摇板式波浪能装置的水动力性能进行了解析研究,基于受约束浮体线性化运动方程,获得小幅线性波作用下装置动力响应和转换性能的解析解;采用解析解计算分析了水深、厚度、密度和PTO阻尼值四个参数选取对装置转换性能的影响.研究结果表明,底铰摇板式波浪能装置具有较宽的频率响应范围;在低频区,水深较大时装置俘获效率较高,而在高频区,水深较小时装置俘获效率较高;系统性能受摇板厚度的影响非常小;密度较小的摇板在高频区性能较好,而密度较大的摇板在低频区性能较好;设置恒定PTO阻尼的情况下,装置性能受FTO阻尼值影响显著,当FTO阻尼取低频辐射阻尼时,装置的俘获效率与满足阻尼匹配条件的情况基本相同;当采用的PTO阻尼与低频辐射阻尼值差别较大时,系统的俘获效率显著降低.     

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.     

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.     

Wave characteristic and morphologic effects on the onshore hydrodynamic response of tsunamis

While the destruction caused by a tsunami can vary significantly owing to near- and onshore controls, we have only a limited quantitative understanding of how different local parameters influence the onshore response of tsunamis. Here, a numerical model based on the non-linear shallow water equations is first shown to agree well with analytical expressions developed for periodic long waves inundating over planar slopes. More than 13,000 simulations are then conducted to examine the effects variations in the wave characteristics, bed slopes, and bottom roughness have on maximum tsunami run-up and water velocity at the still water shoreline. While deviations from periodic waves and planar slopes affect the onshore dynamics, the details of these effects depend on a combination of factors. In general, the effects differ for breaking and non-breaking waves, and are related to the relative shift of the waves along the breaking–non-breaking wave continuum. Variations that shift waves toward increased breaking, such as steeper wave fronts, tend to increase the onshore impact of non-breaking waves, but decrease the impact of already breaking waves. The onshore impact of a tsunami composed of multiple waves can be different from that of a single wave tsunami, with the largest difference occurring on long, shallow onshore topographies. These results demonstrate that the onshore response of a tsunami is complex, and that using analytical expressions derived from simplified conditions may not always be appropriate.     

On the tuning of a wave-energy driven oscillating-water-column seawater pump to polychromatic waves

Performance of wave-energy devices of the oscillating water column (OWC) type is greatly enhanced when a resonant condition with the forcing waves is maintained. The natural frequency of such systems can in general be tuned to resonate with a given wave forcing frequency. In this paper we address the tuning of an OWC sea-water pump to polychromatic waves. We report results of wave tank experiments, which were conducted with a scale model of the pump. Also, a numerical solution for the pump equations, which were proven in previous work to successfully describe its behavior when driven by monochromatic waves, is tested with various polychromatic wave spectra. Results of the numerical model forced by the wave trains measured in the wave tank experiments are used to develop a tuning criterion for the sea-water pump.     

3D hydrodynamic modelling of fixed oscillating water column wave power plant by a boundary element methods

A three-dimensional (3D) numerical model of fixed Oscillating Water Column system (OWC) is presented and validated. The steady-state potential flow boundary value problem due to regular wave interaction with the OWC is solved by a first order mixed distribution panel method. Ocean response predictions are derived using a deterministic statistical model based on a spectral analysis method. The model validation focusses on diffraction predictions and involves convergence tests and numerical comparisons with independent potential flow computations. Predictions of both regular and irregular wave responses are also compared against experimental results. Sample results including the yearly-averaged power conversion efficiency are presented in the final section to illustrate the method’s suitability to a 3D hydrodynamic design optimisation.     

A note on the hydrodynamics of a tail tube buoy

This note presents some analytical results for a tail–tube buoy configuration frequently used in wave energy conversion. The overall approach is based on Falnes and McIver's (Falnes, J., McIver, P., 1985. Surface wave interactions with systems of oscillating bodies and pressure distributions. Applied Ocean Research 7 (4), 225–234) extension to floating oscillating water columns of Evans' (Evans, D.V., 1982. Wave power absorbtion by systems of oscillating surface pressure distributions. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 114, 481–499) theory of oscillating pressure distributions. The diffraction air-flow flux through the tube and the diffraction wave force on the flotation collar are obtained using the formulation of Garrett (1970, 1971) (Garrett, C.J.R., 1970. Bottomless harbours. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 43 (3), 433–449. Garrett, C.J.R., 1971. Wave forces on a circular dock. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 46 (1), 129–139). Results can be used in sizing the tube and collar for efficient energy conversion.     

Numerical investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of fast SWATHs with optimum canted struts arrangements

Small Waterplane Area Twin Hulls (SWATHs) are known to have superior seakeeping performance but higher resistance compared to equivalent catamarans or mono-hulls. A way to improve their resistance characteristics is to use unconventional hull forms parametrically defined and optimized by CFD methods. This study builds on previous SWATH optimization studies proposing a comprehensive, systematic investigation on the effect of different shapes and canting angles of the struts. For the first time we demonstrate the importance of considering the shape of the strut that is fully parametrized in our study. The effect of the design speed on the best shape is addressed through a multi-objective optimization targeting the minimum total resistance at two very different speeds, namely the cruise and slow transfer speeds. Optimum hull shapes are discussed in terms of maximum resistance reduction, together with the predicted free waves patterns.     

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.     

Natural frequencies of vertical cylindrical oscillating water column devices

This paper deals with the evaluation of the natural frequencies in heave motion of a single floating Oscillating Water Column device along with the natural frequencies of the water column inside the oscillating chamber. Two types of OWCs are examined, a simple-type device, consisting of a partially immersed toroidal body and a novel-type device, consisting also of a partially immersed toroidal body supplemented however by a coaxial interior truncated cylinder moving in phase with the outer chamber, thus forming a floating unit. Numerical results are given concerning the three boundary value problems, namely, the diffraction, the motion- and the pressure- dependent radiation problems, obtained through an analytical solution method using matched axisymmetric eigenfunction expansion formulations. The effect of the air pressure distribution inside the oscillating chamber on the natural frequencies in heave motion of the two examined types of OWCs and on the natural frequency of the water column motion inside the chamber, is presented and discussed thoroughly. It is demonstrated that the heave natural frequencies are strongly dependent on the type of the examined OWC and the device’s inner air pressure and should be taken into consideration when designing a floating OWC device.     

Self-Starting Analysis of an OWC Axial Impulse Turbine in Constant Flows: Experimental and Numerical Studies

In recent times, self-rectifying axial-flow air turbines are being widely employed in oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converters (WEC). The steady performance of air turbines has been systematically investigated in previous studies. However, there still exists a lack of information on their unsteady performance, such as in the self-starting characteristics and subsequent running behavior. In this study, the unsteady behavior of impulse turbine under various constant-flow conditions is investigated. Experimental studies were conducted to investigate the effects of constant-load on the variations in the rotation speed, the pressure drop and the torque output of the turbine starting from rest. A fully passive flow-driving numerical model is employed for further detailed analysis of the flow and pressure fields. Followed by a well-agreed validation using the corresponding experimental data, the three dimensional (3D) transient model is used to study the effects of the air-flow velocity magnitude and the rotors’ moment of inertia on the self-starting performance of the turbine. Except for the variations in the rotation speed, the pressure drop and the pneumatic torque, the distributions of the flow-field and the pressure over the blades at specific time-points are analyzed.     

Numerical study on the reverse drift force of floating BBDB wave energy absorbers

The motions and time-mean horizontal drift forces of floating backward-bent duct buoy wave energy absorbers in regular waves are calculated taking account of the oscillating surface-pressure due to the pressure drop in the air chamber above the oscillating water column within the scope of the linear wave theory. The present numerical results show that the time-mean drift forces of backward-bent duct buoys are in the reverse direction of propagation of the incident waves over specific frequency ranges as found by McCormick through his experimental work. The drift force has been calculated by the near-field method. A brief discussion on Maruo’s formula which shows that the time-mean drift force must be in the direction of propagation of the incident waves, has also been presented.