Abstract
This paper presents a study on a cost-effective engineering model that integrates an array of floating wave energy converters with a vast platform, a viable option for multi-functional performance in renewable energy capture and ocean space utilization. The wave energy converters are floating buoyance columns flexibly connected with the elastic platform. Hydrodynamic interactions among the columns are analyzed using an exact matrix transform method based on linear wave theory in the frequency domain. A parametric governing equation of compounded wave energy converter referred to as a wave farm is formulated by using Hamilton’s principle which can be discretized using the Galerkin method. The effects of wave conditions and the parameters of hydraulic power take-off (PTO) on the wave energy absorption and dynamic characteristics of the energy harvesting system are investigated. Furthermore, the wave energy capture on irregular waves is also discussed. This research work aims at providing a theoretical guidance for wave energy harvesting system design.
Highlights
Wave energy, one of the four main sources of ocean renewable energy, is extremely abundant since it is estimated at around 2 TW worldwide [1]
Substituting Equations (3), (4) and (8) into Equation (1), and using integration by parts, we can obtain the governing equations of the wave energy harvesting system in which the platform model governed by a partial differential equation (PDE) and the buoyance columns model governed by ordinary differential equations (ODEs), given by:
We firstly study the effect of system parameters, theand coefficients of effect connector stiffnesson andenergy on the absorption characteristics, and the effect of parameters absorption andenergy dynamic characteristics of the floating system iswave analyzed parameters energy absorption dynamic characteristics theperformance floating system analyzed in regular seas.onThis aims to gain aand better understanding ofofthe ofisthe wave in energy regularsystem
Summary
One of the four main sources of ocean renewable energy (wave energy, tidal energy, ocean thermal energy and offshore wind energy), is extremely abundant since it is estimated at around 2 TW worldwide [1]. In order to integrate wave energy converters with shore-protection structures, a flexible floating breakwater consisting of multiple WEC modules installed between adjacent modules are proposed by Michailides and Angelides [8]. Different from the pontoon-type VLFS proposed above, a semi-submerged VLFS consisting of a thin upper hull and a great number of buoy columns has widely been studied in order to reduce hydrodynamic interactions [20,21] With this motivation, a multi-usage platform supported by an array of floating buoys can form a multi-purpose wave farm where PTOs embedded between the columns and the upper platform act as devices for energy extraction. This study provides a new insight and theoretical guidelines for the design of wave energy farms
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