A hydrodynamic modelling of wave-activated bodies for wavelet marine regions

Abstract

Abstract Recently, most wave energy research has targeted sea areas with high power density under extreme wave conditions for deployment. This trend often leads to higher energy costs for wave power plants. However, many marine areas with low power density, characterized by wavelet conditions and less destructive forces than extreme wave conditions, remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a wave-activated body model for sea regions with wavelet conditions. The wave-activated body design process encompassed site selection, parameter determination, geometry design, comparison and performance evaluation using the ANSYS® AQWA model. The results indicated that the proposed device achieved the desired heave motion, with an amplitude range of 1.2 to –2.5 m, validating its potential for deployment in marine regions with wavelet conditions. Notably, while the proposed design is optimized for wavelet conditions, it was found to have potential limitations in extreme wave environments. This observation emphasizes the challenge of formulating a generalized design suitable for both conditions. Consequently, it is pivotal for wave-activated body designs to be customized based on the specific ocean conditions they target, underscoring the need for specialized designs of wave energy converters that consider the unique wave characteristics of their deployment sites.