Hydrodynamic Performance of an Array of OWC Devices Integrated with Breakwater

Abstract

Marine renewable energy has potential benefits like the enhancement of the livelihood and can solve the energy-security. For cost-effective solution, a multipurpose wave energy system with an integration into coastal protection has been explored in detail. Having evaluated the performance of an OWC in isolation in the previous chapters, an effort is made to understand the performance of the combination of wave energy technology with detached offshore breakwaters. The said multi-purpose option, termed as OWCBW system is investigated for optimizing the spacing between an array of OWC devices subjected to regular and random waves in normal and oblique wave incidences. It is observed that the OWCBW system with thrice the width of the model spacing exhibited a better performance. The OWC system is found to absorb more power when being placed in an array of devices than compared to an isolated device. The extent of decrease in relative capture width at the resonant frequency of the system for oblique wave incidence compared to that of normal wave incidence is found to be about 30%.