Abstract
Seaports are highly energy demanding infrastructures and are exposed to wave energy, which is an abundant resource and largely unexploited. As a result, there has been a rising interest in integrating wave energy converters (WEC) into the breakwaters of seaports. The present work analyzes the performance of an innovative hybrid WEC module combining an oscillating water column (OWC) and an overtopping device (OWEC) integrated into a rubble mound breakwater, based on results of a physical model study carried out at a geometrical scale of 1:50. Before the experimental tests, the device’s performance was numerically optimized using ANSYS Fluent and WOPSim v3.11. The wave power captured by the hybrid WEC was calculated and the performance of the two harvesting principles discussed. It was demonstrated that hybridization could lead to systems with higher efficiencies than its individual components, for a broader range of wave conditions. The chosen concepts were found to complement each other: the OWEC was more efficient for the lower wave periods tested and the OWC for the higher. Consequently, the power production of the hybrid WEC was found to be less dependent on the wave’s characteristics.
Highlights
Due to a growing concern regarding environmental sustainability [1], increasing CO2 emissions and the struggle to meet renewable energy production targets, the need for new, innovative and more efficient ways to harness clean and renewable energy arises
For a comprehensive understanding of the performance of the hybrid WEC (HWEC) developed in this study, both technologies (OWC and OWEC) are first analyzed individually, and the performance of the HWEC module as a whole was discussed
For of Portugal, was characterized and the device developed to be integrated into the provisional layout of the structure designed for the extension of the North breakwater of the Port of Leixões
Summary
Due to a growing concern regarding environmental sustainability [1], increasing CO2 emissions and the struggle to meet renewable energy production targets, the need for new, innovative and more efficient ways to harness clean and renewable energy arises. The survivability of the devices when subjected to harsh maritime conditions; Their potential impact on the functional performance of the breakwaters; The reliability of the system’s components; The lack of appropriate power take-off (PTO) control strategies able to deal with the well-known variability of wave characteristics in several temporal scales (from wave-to-wave, during one hour, day, month or even inter-annually); and, Insufficient expertise of full-scale devices over long-term applications These issues have a strong effect on the levelized cost of energy (LCoE), which must be reduced to speed up the time to market of ocean energy technologies and improve their chances of successfully reaching a viable commercial stage. Looking within the particular case of the wave energy sector itself, there are not many studies considering a hybrid approach integrating different WEC technologies, in detriment of developing individual device solutions.
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