Abstract
This paper introduces a new point-absorber wave energy converter (WEC) with a moonpool buoy—the moonpool platform wave energy converter (MPWEC). The MPWEC structure includes a cylinder buoy and a moonpool buoy and a Power Take-off (PTO) system, where the relative movement between the cylindrical buoy and the moonpool buoy is exploited by the PTO system to generate energy. A 1:10 scale model was physically tested to validate the numerical model and further prove the feasibility of the proposed system. The motion responses of and the power absorbed by the MPWEC studied in the wave tank experiments were also numerically analyzed, with a potential approach in the frequency domain, and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code in the time domain. The good agreement between the experimental and the numerical results showed that the present numerical model is accurate enough, and therefore considering only the heave degree of freedom is acceptable to estimate the motion responses and power absorption. The study shows that the MPWEC optimum power extractions is realized over a range of wave frequencies between 1.7 and 2.5 rad/s.
Highlights
Carbon emission from the use of fossil fuels is increasingly recognized as a worldwide concern [1].Marine renewable energy was deemed a possible source of clean and sustainable energy, and had been widely studied over the past decades
point-absorption wave energy converters (PAWEC) have demonstrated some advantages over other wave energy converter (WEC), such as a smaller volume and high wave energy conversion per unit volume [3]; PAWECs are easy to realize in modules, and to combine with floating structures [4]
Zheng et al [22] investigated the motion and a with two bodies relayed on tank experiment, deriving that the maximum efficiency is obtained energy conversion of a WEC with two bodies relayed on tank experiment, deriving that the maximum when the wave period,when the Power Take-off (PTO)
Summary
Carbon emission from the use of fossil fuels is increasingly recognized as a worldwide concern [1].Marine renewable energy was deemed a possible source of clean and sustainable energy, and had been widely studied over the past decades. Wave energy has unique advantages such as massive reserves, wide distribution, high energy density, and easy to exploit. The principle of wave energy utilization is to convert the kinetic energy and the potential energy of waves into the electrical energy through wave energy converters (WECs). PAWEC uses the reciprocating motion in the six degrees of freedom to drive power take-off system and achieves the conversion process from wave energy to electrical energy. PAWECs have demonstrated some advantages over other WECs, such as a smaller volume and high wave energy conversion per unit volume [3]; PAWECs are easy to realize in modules (and easy to scale up), and to combine with floating structures [4].
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