Hydrodynamic performance of pile restrained U-shaped OWC device using boundary element method

Abstract

The hydrodynamic performance of a pile-restrained U-shaped Oscillating Water Column (U-OWC) device under the action of normal incident waves is analysed using the Boundary Element Method (BEM). The hydrodynamic parameters, such as the radiation susceptance and conductance coefficients and hydrodynamic efficiency, are analysed for various cases of different structural parameters of U-OWC. It is observed that the theoretical maximum efficiency can be achieved for a wide range of wavenumbers by appropriate tweaking and optimisation of the device geometry. The resonance enables the device to reach the maximum possible efficiency and the phenomenon of obtaining the maximum efficiency of the final optimised geometry is achieved. The shorter length of draft of the device is chosen over longer draft considering the high construction cost as well as efficiency enhancement of the device, even though the longer draft is observed to perform marginally better in a narrow wave number range. The numerical investigation of the theoretical maximum efficiency is observed to be 100% whenever the μ (dimensionless radiation susceptance coefficient) crosses the zero mark. Consequently, the maximum theoretical efficiency is observed close to maximum whenever μ is close to zero. The final optimised geometry consisting of an inward inclined top wall configuration performs best but could be challenging in actual construction. Further, on inclining the bottom wall in the inwards or outward direction does not result in better performance than inclining only the top wall. The present study explores a novel concept of pile-restrained U-OWC kept near the surface and will be helpful in determining the best-performing geometry for the device.