Abstract
The chamber configuration of an asymmetric, fixed-detached Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device was investigated theoretically to analyze its effects on hydrodynamic performance. Two-dimensional linear wave theory was used, and the solutions for the associated radiation and scattering boundary value problems (BVPs) were derived through the matched eigenfunction expansion method (EEM) and the boundary element method (BEM). The results for the hydrodynamic efficiency and other important hydrodynamic properties were computed and analyzed for various cases. Parameters, such as the length of the chamber and the thickness and submergence of the rear and front walls, were varied. The effects on device performance of adding a step under the OWC chamber and reflecting wall in the downstream region were also investigated. A good agreement between the analytical and numerical results was found. Thinner walls and low submergence of the chamber were seen to increase the efficiency bandwidth. The inclusion of a step slightly reduced the frequency at which resonance occurs, and when a downstream reflecting wall is included, the hydrodynamic efficiency is noticeably reduced at low frequencies due to the near trapped waves in the gap between the OWC device and the rigid vertical wall.
Highlights
IntroductionOcean wave energy is a renewable and pollution-free resource with the potential to mitigate the effects of global warming and contribute to meet the world’s growing demand for electricity
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The influence of the rear and front wall thickness to water depth ratio (w1 /h, w2 /h), the chamber length to water depth ratio (b/h), the rear and front walls draft to water depth ratio ( a1 /h, a2 /h), the step height to water depth ratio and the chamber to wall distance to water depth ratio ( L/h) on the hydrodynamic performance are analyzed
Summary
Ocean wave energy is a renewable and pollution-free resource with the potential to mitigate the effects of global warming and contribute to meet the world’s growing demand for electricity. This globally available energy source is estimated at about 2.1 TW [1], or. 18,400 TWh per year, approximately 80% of the 2018 world’s demand for electricity [2]. By use of wave energy converters (WECs), this energy source can be collected and transformed into electricity. In recent decades a broad range of WEC technologies has been proposed, with the Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device emerging as one of the most successful systems for wave energy harvesting
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