Hydrodynamic and energy-harvesting performance of an isolated oscillating water column device: An experimental study

Abstract

Most previous experimental studies on the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic performances of an oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter were conducted in a wave flume. In this study, an experimental study on an isolated OWC plant is carried out in a wave tank. The interactions between the OWC system and incident regular and irregular waves are analyzed by measuring the surrounding wave fields using a wave gauge array. The wave distribution patterns and reflection ratios of the OWC model are presented. In addition, the free-surface elevation, air pressure varying amplitude, turbine torque output, and relative capture width ratios and efficiencies in regular and irregular wave scenarios are measured and analyzed. The operating performances of the OWC model are analyzed and compared to the results derived from the flume tests. An overall performance reduction of over 20% can be observed in the wave tank tests. In addition, the representative results of the overall capture width ratio of the OWC model derived from irregular wave tests are corrected from the scaling effects caused by the similarity contradiction.