Abstract
Experiments have been performed in the Shallow Water Wave Basin of DHI (Horsholm, Denmark) within the EU FP7 Hydralab Programme, on large farms of up to 25 heaving point absorber type Wave Energy Converters (WECs). For a range of geometric lay-out configurations and wave conditions (regular, polychromatic, long- and short-crested irregular waves), WEC response and modification of the wave field have been measured to provide data for the understanding of WEC farm interactions and for the evaluation of farm interaction numerical models. A first extensive wave farm database is established. The experimental arrangement and the obtained database are presented, as well as results for wave height attenuation downwave of the farms. For long-crested irregular waves, up to 18.1 % and 20.8 % reduction in significant wave height is observed downwave of the 5x5-WEC rectilinear and staggered farm, respectively. Wave height attenuation is expected to be larger, since in practical wave farm applications WECs will be controlled to extract a large amount of power from the waves, and therefore the array will cause larger wave height dissipation. These findings present the ability to combine the harvesting of energy from sea waves with coastal defence systems, resulting in cost reduction for both applications when WECs operate as multi-purpose devices.
Highlights
Research background and objectives Coastal zones worldwide occupy less than 15 % of the earth’s land surface, yet they accommodate more than 60% of the world’s population (Eurosion, 2004)
Energy from ocean waves can be utilized by installing Wave Energy Converters in the sea, which are devices that convert the kinetic and/or potential energy of waves into electricity
In order to extract a considerable amount of wave power, large numbers of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) will have to be arranged in farms using a particular geometrical lay-out
Summary
Research background and objectives Coastal zones worldwide occupy less than 15 % of the earth’s land surface, yet they accommodate more than 60% of the world’s population (Eurosion, 2004) This socioeconomic and demographic significance of coastal areas, in combination with climate change forecastings, reveal the actual need for coastal protection against the rising sea level and increasing storm intensity and frequency. As a consequence of energy extraction, WEC farms create a region of reduced wave height downwave (referred to as far-field effect), which is likely to influence neighbouring activities in the sea, navigation through and around the devices for ship transport and maintenance of the farms, coastal eco-systems and even the coastline and the coastal defence conditions
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