Oscillating Water Column Geometrical Factors and System Performance: A Review

Abstract

Ocean waves that impact along the coast are among the most promising renewable energy sources that can be extracted from the environment. The ocean’s energy can be extracted by a few methods and converted from kinetic energy into electrical energy using turbine blades and power generators installed in areas with strong waves. The best and most widely established wave energy converters use an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) conversion concept. During the past few years, numerous research projects have been conducted to ensure a continuous development of OWC technologies that could provide more systematic, consistent, and environmentally friendly electrical supply sources to the nearby communities and electric-powered facilities. OWC has distinctive techniques for every section of the energy converting process, differing from other methods. Several things need to be considered to ensure that a maximum amount of energy can be generated from the established system. This paper discusses the OWC system design characteristics and functions. This paper also summarizes the current technology developments for the OWC and their achievements.