Abstract
An oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter utilizes an air turbine to capture the power in bidirectional airflow created by the oscillating water surface inside a chamber. Several types of turbines have been proposed for OWC use, the most common being impulse and Wells turbines. This work utilized a testing device capable of simulating a range of linear wave conditions to characterize OWC air turbines in bidirectional airflow. Two turbine designs were tested: a 20-bladed impulse turbine with stationary guide vanes, and a 5-bladed Wells turbine with stationary guide vanes. The Wells turbine showed a much higher rotational speed and higher power output and efficiency than the impulse turbine (for the same input wave conditions), consistent with previous published results under steady unidirectional airflow conditions. Future work will include optimizing the Wells turbine design, and testing the improved turbine in an in-water prototype to evaluate damping characteristics and performance in irregular wave conditions.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
