CFD modelling of a small–scale fixed multi–chamber OWC device

Wave Energy Converters (WECs) have excellent potential as a source of renewable energy that is yet to be commercially realised. Recent attention has focused on the installation of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) devices as a part of harbor walls to provide advantages of cost–sharing structures and proximity of power generation facilities to existing infrastructure. In this paper, an incompressible three–dimensional CFD model is constructed to simulate a fixed Multi–Chamber OWC (MC–OWC) device. The CFD model is validated; the simulation results are found to be in good agreement with experimental results obtained from a scale physical model tested in a wave tank. The validated CFD model is then used for a benchmark study of 96 numerical tests. These investigate the effects of the PTO damping caused by the power take–off (PTO) system on device performance. The performance is assessed for a range of regular wave heights and periods. The results demonstrate that a PTO system with an intermediate damping can be used for all chambers in the MC–OWC device for most wave period ranges, except for the long wave periods. These require a higher PTO damping. An increased incident wave height reduces the device capture width ratio, but there is a noticeable improvement for long wave periods.     

Wave energy conversion under constrained wave-by-wave impedance matching with amplitude and phase-match limits

This paper investigates an approach to limit the fullness of ‘tuning’ provided by wave-by-wave impedance matching control of wave energy devices in irregular waves. A single analytical formulation based on the Lagrange multiplier approach of Evans [1] is used to limit the velocity amplitude while also limiting the closeness of the phase match between velocity and exciting force. The paper studies the effect of the present technique in concurrently limiting the device velocity and the required control/actuation force. Time domain application requires wave-profile prediction, which here is based on a deterministic propagation model. Also examined in the time domain is the effect of possible violation of the displacement constraint, which for many designs implies impacts at hard stops within the power take-off mechanism. Time domain simulations are carried out for a 2-body axisymmetric converter (with physical end-stops) in sea states reported for a site off the US east coast. It is found that the approach leads to effective power conversion in the less energetic sea states, while as desired, considerable muting of the optimal response is found in the larger sea states. Under the assumptions of this work, the end-stop collisions are found to have a minor effect on the power conversion. The present approach could be used to guide the design of power take-off systems so that their displacement stroke, maximum force, and resistive and reactive power limits are well-matched to the achievable performance of a given controlled primary energy converter.     

A 10-year wave energy resource assessment and trends of Indonesia based on satellite observations

Wave energy resource assessment and trends around Indonesian's ocean has been carried out by means of analyzing satellite observations. Wave energy flux or wave power can be approximated using parameterized sea states derived from satellite data. Unfortunately, only some surface parameters can be measured from remote sensing satellites, for example for ocean surface waves: significant wave height. Others, like peak wave period and energy period are not available, but can instead be estimated using empirical models. The results have been assessed by meteorological season. The assessment shows clearly where and when the wave power resource is promising around Indonesian's ocean. The most striking result was found from June to August, in which about 30–40 kW/m(the 90 th percentile: 40–60 kW/m, the 99th percentile: 50–70 kW/m) wave power energy on average has been found around south of the Java Island. The significant trends of wave energy at the 95% level have also been studied and it is found that the trends only occurred for the extreme cases, which is the 99th percentile(i.e.,highest 1%). Wave power energy could increase up to 150 W/m per year. The significant wave heights and wave power have been compared with the results obtained from global wave model hindcast carried out by wave model WAVEWATCH III. The comparisons indicated excellent agreements.     

三个台风对我国东部沿海风电的联合影响

基于CCMP(cross-calibrated multi-platform)再分析风场数据,研究了9907号, 9908号和9909号3个台风对中国沿海5个风电场的影响,分别从台风的形成以及路径,对沿海风电场风速的影响,台风期间的发电情况等详细地描述了台风对风电机组的影响。发现:台风对5个海上风电场的影响可以分为3个阶段,第一阶段是1999年8月1—4日,输出功率由南向北依次降低,此时主要受9907号台风的影响;第二阶段是8月6—9日,8月6日也呈现输出功率由南向北降低,主要是9909号台风由南海途径台湾海峡即将进入东海的影响;受9908号台风影响, 8月7日最大输出功率出现在S3风机。8月8日,受9908和9909号台风的叠加影响, S4风机的输出功率达到15天的最大值38.4 MW。第三个阶段是8月12—15日,受大气锋面的影响, S1—S5输出功率呈现波动。台风过境期间提高了各站点的运营能力和部分站点的额定容量,未对风电机组产生大的破坏。研究成果可为相关部门在台风期间海洋风力发电的决策提供参考。     

一种新型鲸鱼式潮流能发电装置的设计与试验研究

为了进一步提高潮流能的利用率,提出了一种新型鲸鱼式潮流能发电装置。借鉴风机叶片设计方法及水平轴水轮机的设计原理,利用结构力学、流体力学和CFD相关方法,对该装置的螺旋桨叶、导流筒和固定桩等部件进行了设计研究,从获能效果、装置可靠性和发电功率等方面进行了优化设计,并通过900 W样机试验验证了设计的有效性。试验结果显示,海流高潮期装置最大发电功率可达到980 W,一天内大约有4个缓潮期,此间发电功率明显下降,但持续时间不长,总体平均发电功率在800 W上下;同时潮流能轮机启动流速在0.41 m/s左右,有着良好的低速启动性能。     

海水海砂混凝土双K断裂参数的确定

采用尺寸为515 mm×100 mm×100 mm初始缝高比从0.1变化至0.8的三点弯曲梁试件,利用试验测得起裂荷载Pini、最大荷载Pmax及对应的裂缝口张开位移CMODc等参数,研究了缝高比a0/h对海水海砂混凝土双K断裂参数的影响。并以相同配合比的淡水河砂梁作为对照组,进一步研究了海砂海水混凝土双K断裂参数与普通混凝土之间的关系。结果发现海水海砂混凝土断裂参数在a0/h=0.25～0.7范围内时可以认为是一常数;海水海砂混凝土梁断裂参数比相同配合比情况下的淡水河砂梁大且对边界影响更加敏感。     

轴压作用下双金属复合管组合作用与承载力分析

为探究轴压作用下双金属复合海底管道的组合作用与承载性能,对双金属复合海底管道进行了试验研究和理论分析。开展了不锈钢衬管材料性能试验,对比了国际主流不锈钢本构关系模型和试验结果。利用ABAQUS建立了精细化的双金属复合管道轴压试验有限元模型,系统研究了关键参数如复合工艺产生的环向复合应力、钢管初始缺陷幅值等对双金属复合管在轴压作用下力学性能的影响规律。通过对比已有轴压双金属复合管道试验结果,验证有限元模型。基于验证的有限元模型,对轴压作用下双金属复合管道的组合作用以及径厚比和材料强度对承载力的影响进行了分析。结果表明双金属复合管道的轴压极限承载力主要取决于基管的截面屈服荷载,并随着管径和材料强度的提高而增大。并依据分析结果对双金属复合海底管道的设计提出建议。     

长条状粗颗粒在垂直管路中最小输送速度试验研究

随着陆地金属资源的日益枯竭,深海矿产资源已经成为各国的重要战略目标。在深海采矿过程中,海底锰结核的形状除了圆球状,还有长条状等,颗粒形状对固液两相流管道输送特性具有很大影响。基于固液两相流垂直管道提升输送试验系统,探究不同工况下长条状颗粒在垂直上升流中最小输送速度的变化规律及特性,并得到了长条状群体颗粒最小输送速度计算公式。结果表明:长条状颗粒在垂直管道中上升过程中,颗粒中心轴与输送方向趋向于垂直,使颗粒在管道截面的投影面积最大化;长条状单颗粒的最小输送速度随着颗粒长径比增大而减小;在不同长径比工况下,随着管段颗粒平均浓度减小,长条状群体颗粒的最小输送速度均增大,且随着长径比增大,群最小输送速度减小。     

考虑冲刷影响的筒型基础竖向极限承载力研究

大直径宽浅式筒型基础,阻水宽度大,在位工作期间受波浪海流作用,其周围土体易被冲刷。为研究单侧地基土体受冲刷后筒型基础的竖向极限承载力变化,通过引进冲刷率的概念,采用有限元方法研究了不同冲刷率下筒型基础的竖向极限承载力;并基于Meyerhof理论建立了计算不同冲刷率下筒型基础竖向极限承载力的极限平衡方法。研究结果表明,随着冲刷率增大,筒型基础的极限承载力出现不同程度的下降,当冲刷率为0.8时,即筒型基础单侧土体冲刷深度达6.4 m时,筒型基础的竖向极限承载力折减率为3.28%。建立的极限平衡算法可准确计算冲刷条件下筒型基础的竖向极限承载力。     

不同开口比人工鱼礁体水动力特性及礁体稳定性研究

为研究方型人工鱼礁体开口比的变化对其水动力特性的影响,利用Fluent软件模拟了边长为3m、开口比为0～0.6之间7种不同方型鱼礁体周围水流场,通过分析水流场变化规律得到了礁体流场效应、阻力系数随开口比的变化情况;基于Morison方程计算了礁体在波流作用下的受力及其抗滑移、抗倾覆安全系数。研究结果表明:当礁体开口比小于0.2时,背涡区范围较大,流场效应明显;随着开口比的增大,礁体产生的上升流范围及竖直向最大速度分量逐渐减小;对于方形开口礁体,阻力系数与开口比的关系式为Cd=0.875φ+1.088(R2=0.963,P<0.01);随着开口比的增大,礁体所受最大波流作用力、抗滑移及抗倾覆安全系数逐渐减小,但礁体不会发生滑移和倾覆,可为实际礁体结构的设计提供参考。