Design Of Wave Energy Converter Research Articles

Design of hydraulic power take-off systems unit parameters for multi-point absorbers wave energy converter

Ocean waves represent a substantial renewable energy source, prompting this study's exploration of harnessing this potential via multi-point floating absorbers equipped with hydraulic Power Take-Off (PTO) systems. The study's primary motivation is to comprehensively model a Wave Energy Converter (WEC), including the hydraulic PTO system's control mechanism and protection system. To optimize the WEC design, we first investigate the hydrodynamic parameters of the floating absorber, employing potential flow theories and assessing the effects of varying the diameter-to-draft ratio. Our research involves analyzing Response Amplitude Operators (RAOs) and hydrodynamic forces for different ratios to identify the most effective design, followed by using computed wave forces as inputs for PTO simulations in MATLAB/SimScape to determine the unit parameters. The analysis of RAOs and wave-exciting forces reveals that diameter-to-draft ratios between 0.67 and 1.0 yield the best WEC performance, offering promising recommendations. In the final step, we compare the performance of single and multi-point absorber system simulations, assessing factors such as pressure drop, flow rate, and power output at the hydraulic motor. This comparison concludes that multi-point absorbers generate a more stable power output than their single-absorber counterparts.

Wave‐to‐Wire Model and Output Performance Analysis of a Point Absorption Wave Energy Converter Based on Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Herein, a point absorption wave energy converter (WEC) model combined with a contact–separation mode triboelectric nanogenerator (PAW TENG) is proposed. The model considers the interaction between the hydrodynamic forces captured by a point absorption conversion device of wave energy and the electrostatic force of the TENG. According to the established harmonic oscillation model of the buoy, the buoy's hydrodynamic properties and power generation characteristics are studied using finite element simulation and numerical simulation calculations. The best matching resistor circuit for PAW TENG in regular waves is investigated and analyzed. The electrical characteristics of the PAW TENG in the irregular wave spectrum are also solved. This work will provide design ideas for the experimental design of a novel point absorption WEC.

An optimization approach for geometry design of multi-axis wave energy converter

The current global energy crisis necessitates a shift to renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change impacts. Wave energy emerges as a promising renewable resource to fulfill increasing energy demands. This energy can be extracted using wave energy converters (WECs), with multi-axis WECs (MA-WECs) being more effective than single-axis versions due to their capacity to harness energy from waves in various directions. The challenge lies in determining the ideal geometric design for MA-WECs, that can be tackled through multi-objective optimization (MOO) techniques. This research focuses on evaluating different MOO algorithms for the optimal geometric design of MA-WECs. To assess the structural response of different geometries and sizes, the study utilized the NEMOH boundary element method solver, aiming to maximize power output, lower the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and optimize the geometry configuration. Findings indicate that the choice of optimization algorithm considerably influences the MA-WEC's optimal design, enhancing power efficiency, reducing device volume, and cutting costs more effectively than the initial design.

Energy Efficiency Analysis of a Deformable Wave Energy Converter Using Fully Coupled Dynamic Simulations

Deformable wave energy converters have significant potential for application as flexible material that can mitigate structural issues, while how to design the dimensions and choose an optimal deployment location remain unclear. In this paper, fully coupled computational fluid dynamics and computational solid mechanics were used to simulate the dynamic interactions between ocean waves and a deformable wave energy converter. The simulation results showed that the relative length to wave, deployment depth and aspect ratio of the device have significant effects on the energy conversion efficiency. By calculating the energy captured per unit width of the device, the energy efficiency was found to be up to 138%. The optimal energy conversion efficiencies were achieved when the structure length was 0.25, 0.5 or 0.75 of the dominating wavelength and submerged at a corresponding suitable depth. The aspect ratio and maximum stress inside the wave energy converter showed a nonlinear trend, with potential optimal points revealed. The simulation approach and results support the future design and optimisation of flexiable wave energy converters or other marine structures with notable deformations.

A compressible degree of freedom as a means for improving the performance of heaving wave energy converters

A compressible degree of freedom (CDOF) can provide a means of improving wave power capture by adjusting the system stiffness and providing short-term energy storage, reducing or even eliminating the requirement for two-way electrical power flow as is typical in wave energy control systems. With the overarching goal of investigating and facilitating the application of a CDOF within wave energy converter (WEC) design, this paper focuses primarily on the case of heaving buoys, and on using air volumes to provide the compressible spring effect. Analytical formulae for the natural frequencies are used to gain fundamental insights into the main design considerations. Numerical methods are used to augment this understanding, helping to elucidate the effect of geometric parameters and scale on the required compressible volumes and the efficacy of the CDOF. Beginning with the WaveBot WEC, case studies are then used to demonstrate the design drivers in a more applied context, as well as highlighting the benefit of a self-reacting power take-off (PTO) system. The assimilation of these results with the findings of a detailed literature review culminates in a set of recommendations (or guiding principles) for designing a compressible degree of freedom to improve the performance of a heaving wave energy converter. These recommendations apply both to full-scale WECs, and to the design of scale physical modelling studies for validating the analytical and numerical models.

Enhancing the performance of hybrid wave-wind energy systems through a fast and adaptive chaotic multi-objective swarm optimisation method

Hybrid offshore renewable energy platforms have been proposed to optimise power production and reduce the levelised cost of energy by integrating or co-locating several renewable technologies. One example is a hybrid wave-wind energy system that combines offshore wind turbines with wave energy converters (WECs) on a single floating foundation. The design of such systems involves multiple parameters and performance measures, making it a complex, multi-modal, and expensive optimisation problem. This paper proposes a novel, robust and effective multi-objective swarm optimisation method (DMOGWA) to provide a design solution that best compromises between maximising WEC power output and minimising the effect on wind turbine nacelle acceleration. The proposed method uses a chaotic adaptive search strategy with a dynamic archive of non-dominated solutions based on diversity to speed up the convergence rate and enhance the Pareto front quality. Furthermore, a modified exploitation technique (Discretisation Strategy) is proposed to handle the large damping and spring coefficient of the Power Take-off (PTO) search space. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method, we compare the DMOGWA with four well-known multi-objective swarm intelligence methods (MOPSO, MALO, MODA, and MOGWA) and four popular evolutionary multi-objective algorithms (NSGA-II, MOEA/D, SPEA-II, and PESA-II) based on four potential deployment sites on the South Coast of Australia. The optimisation results demonstrate the dominance of the DMOGWA compared with the other eight methods in terms of convergence speed and quality of solutions proposed. Furthermore, adjusting the hybrid wave-wind model’s parameters (WEC design and PTO parameters) using the proposed method (DMOGWA) leads to a considerably improved power output (average proximate boost of 138.5%) and a notable decline in wind turbine nacelle acceleration (41%) throughout the entire operational spectrum compared with the other methods. This improvement could lead to millions of dollars in additional income per year over the lifespan of hybrid offshore renewable energy platforms.

Measuring the Robustness of Optimal Design Solutions for Wave Energy Converters via a Stochastic Approach

Among the challenges generated by the global climate crisis, a significant concern is the constant increase in energy demand. This leads to the need to ensure that any novel energy systems are not only renewable but also reliable in their performance. A viable solution to increase the available renewable energy mix involves tapping into the potential available in ocean waves and harvesting it via so-called wave energy converters (WECs). In this context, a relevant engineering problem relates to finding WEC design solutions that are not only optimal in terms of energy extraction but also exhibit robust behavior in spite of the harsh marine environment. Indeed, the vast majority of design optimization studies available in the state-of-the-art consider only perfect knowledge of nominal (idealized) conditions, neglecting the impact of uncertainties. This study aims to investigate the information that different robustness metrics can provide to designers regarding optimal WEC design solutions under uncertainty. The applied methodology is based on stochastic uncertainty propagation via a Monte Carlo simulation, exploiting a meta-model to reduce the computational burden. The analysis is conducted over a dataset obtained with a genetic algorithm-based optimization process for nominal WEC design. The results reveal a significant deviation in terms of robustness between the nominal Pareto set and those generated by setting different thresholds for robustness metrics, as well as between devices belonging to the same nominal Pareto frontier. This study elucidates the intrinsic need for incorporating robust optimization processes in WEC design.

Towards standardised design of wave energy converters: A high-fidelity modelling approach

Within this study, an analysis of the global standard panorama for wave energy converters (WECs) is presented, in order to develop design methodologies as close as possible to the state-of-the-art. In particular, an analysis of such international standards panorama exhibits a lack of information and detail regarding WEC system design, and the specific simulations procedures that shall be followed accordingly. In the light of this, this study proposes a standardised design process that can be followed to define the design loads which characterise a structural analysis, which are obtained by high-fidelity models. The device assessment in extreme states is analysed on intact and damaged conditions, where the use of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is proposed to encompass any non-linear behaviour related to extreme events. Furthermore, this article also describes a fatigue assessment based on linear system theory, with the inclusion of linearised significant terms, such as, e.g. mooring influence on device dynamics.

Design, modeling and performance analysis of a deformable double-float wave energy converter for AUVs

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are one of the most important means of ocean exploration. However, the restricted energy supply poses a significant challenge to the advancement and practical application of AUVs. Based on the structural characteristics, this paper proposes a novel AUV, which integrates a deformable double-float wave energy converter (WEC), called DFWEC-AUV. The DFWEC empowers the AUV to capture wave energy to supply itself by oscillating double-float form in power generation mode. The structural design, focusing on the deformable float (DeF) and the onboard damping plate (DP), and the working principle, including mode switching and energy capture, are firstly introduced. Then, a double-float dynamic model of DFWEC-AUV oscillating in regular waves is established to reveal the energy capture mechanism in both frequency-domain and time-domain. Finally, the influence of the presence of DP, structural parameters (diameter of DP and deployment angle of DeF) and power take-off (PTO) system damping coefficient on the dynamic response characteristics and energy capture performance is analyzed. In addition, to verify the effectiveness of the performance analysis, a comparative simulation of parameter optimization is carried out under actual wave excitation. The results show that the addition of onboard DP is able to effectively enhance the energy capture performance of DFWEC-AUV, as well as increase the energy capture bandwidth. Moreover, the larger the diameter of the DP is, the greater the performance improvement of DFWEC-AUV is. Conversely, increasing the deployment angle of the DeF does not necessarily lead to better power capture performance. Additionally, it is observed that waves of a particular period are consistently associated with an optimal PTO damping coefficient, which leads to superior power capture performance. In comparative simulation, the energy capture performance of DFWEC-AUV after parameter optimization is increased by 4.7 times.

Performance characterization and modeling of an oscillating surge wave energy converter

Testing wave energy converters in the ocean could be expensive and complex, which necessitates the use of numerical modeling. However, accurately modeling the response of wave energy converters with high-fidelity simulations can be computationally intensive in the design stage where different configurations must be considered. Reduced-order models based on simplified equations of motion can be very useful in the design, optimization, or control of wave energy converters. Given the complex dynamics of wave energy converters, accurate representation, and evaluation of relative contributions by different forces are required. This effort is concerned with a performance characterization of the hydrodynamic response of an oscillating surge wave energy converter that is based on a reduced-order model. A state-space model is used to represent the radiation damping term. Morison’s representation of unsteady forces is used to account for the nonlinear damping. Wave tank tests are performed to validate simulations. A free response simulation is used to determine the coefficients of the state-space model. Torque-forced simulations are used to identify the coefficients of the nonlinear damping term for different amplitudes and wave frequencies. The impact of varying these coefficients on the response is investigated. An assessment of the capability of the model in predicting the hydrodynamic response under irregular forcing is performed. The results show that the maximum error is 3% when compared with high-fidelity simulations. It is determined that the nonlinear damping is proportional to the torque amplitude and its effects are more pronounced as the amplitude of the flap oscillations increases.

Optimal Design of the Overtopping Wave Energy Converter Based on Fluid–Structure Interaction Simulation

Optimal Design of the Overtopping Wave Energy Converter Based on Fluid–Structure Interaction Simulation

Incorporating Mooring Dynamics into the Control Design of a Two-Body Wave Energy Converter

Mooring systems are a critical component of all floating wave energy converter (WEC) systems, yet the impact of amooring system on the WEC dynamics is often neglected during the initial assessment of candidate designs. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the inclusion of mooring dynamics in the early stages of the WEC design process influences decisions regarding hydrodynamic features and control strategies. The study was executed within a mechanical circuit framework to represent the WEC response in the frequency domain. Thevenin’s theorem was applied within this framework to transform a multi-body WEC into a single-body canonical form. This work specifically focused on self-reacting point absorbers and examined how four realistic mooring designs impact WEC intrinsic mechanical impedance across a range of common wave frequencies. We show how the mooring can easily be included in this framework, and a simple approach to identifying the mooring model parameters is described. It was observed that if mooring dynamics are considered within the WEC control design process, a 40% reduction in the required range of the controller physical variable can be achieved while yielding up to 16% more useful power. These results suggest that considering the mooring system early can enhance WEC design.

Numerical investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of a land-based OWC system with multi-chamber modules

Modular design of wave energy converters (WECs) can offer a promising scheme to improve the economic competitiveness of wave energy by reducing the levelized cost of energy. In this study, the hydrodynamic performance of a land-based oscillating water column (OWC) system with multi-chamber modules is evaluated to optimize the layout and design of the system, the OWC structure is extended to five-chamber modules. A two-dimensional wave flume is developed using the high-order boundary element method to simulate the interaction of the incident waves with the OWC device based on the fully non-linear potential flow theory. The proposed numerical model is validated by published experimental data. It is concluded that the two-chamber installation provides superior hydrodynamic performance compared with the single-chamber OWC. The five-chamber OWC system is more suitable for energy capture in low-frequency wave conditions, where the first and last chambers are dominant in energy extraction. From the perspective of energy conversion efficiency and economy, the two- and three-chamber systems are most suitable for targeting low and high frequency waves in the tested conditions, respectively. Additionally, the resonant frequency of the single-chamber module plays a decisive role in the energy capture of the OWC system, and a chamber with a low resonant frequency and a small orifice opening ratio should be selected as the module unit. This paper provides valuable guidance for the modular application of OWCs and the arrangement of multiple chambers.

A bistable point absorber wave energy convertor with a mechanical motion rectifier

The design of novel wave energy converters (WECs) with the capability of low frequency energy capture is of great significance for the development of low frequency ocean wave energy. In this study, a novel point absorber WEC combined with a bistable mechanism and a mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) is proposed to achieve the goal of efficiently capturing wave energy in the low frequency range. In the WEC, the introduction of a rack-pinion-lever-spring (RPLS) bistable mechanism can not only enhance the capture efficiency in a low frequency range but also protect the system from excessive vibration amplitude through the nonlinear stiffness. Besides, one MMR based power take off (PTO) system is proposed to convert the bidirectional vibration into unidirectional rotation of the generator and extract more power via the mechanism of two one-way pinions. The dynamic model in the time domain for the nonlinear point absorber WEC with the RPLS bistable mechanism and the MMR based PTO system is established in which the convolution term is replaced by the state space method. The characteristics of the nonlinear dynamics and wave energy capture performance for the novel WEC are analysed in regular wave condition. The numerical results demonstrate that the peak capture width ratio of the proposed WEC can reach almost 2 times that of the traditional linear system in a lower frequency range.

An integrated system to significant wave height prediction: Combining feature engineering, multi-criteria decision making, and hybrid kernel density estimation

Accurate prediction of significant wave height is paramount for the effective design, operation, and maintenance of wave energy converters. However, current research falls short in achieving precise and stable point predictions, along with comprehensive uncertainty analysis of significant wave height. To address this gap, this study presents a comprehensive significant wave height combined prediction system. This integrated system encompasses outlier detection utilizing Autoencoders, sophisticated feature engineering, a multi-criteria decision-based model selection methodology, a multi-objective homogeneous nuclear molecular optimization algorithm, and a hybrid kernel density estimation technique. To tackle the critical issue of model selection within ensemble prediction, we introduce a multi-criteria compromise solution ranking algorithm known as VIKOR for the selection of sub-models. Additionally, a novel multi-objective homogeneous nuclear molecular optimization algorithm is proposed, which incorporates joint opposing selection and an elite retention strategy to effectively manage multiple objectives simultaneously, yielding Pareto optimal solutions for combining weights. Furthermore, a hybrid kernel density estimation approach is developed, surpassing previous methods reliant on a single kernel function and fixed bandwidth, thereby achieving a more precise fit to the distribution of wave height data. The effectiveness of the proposed model is rigorously evaluated using wave height datasets from three distinct locations. The experimental results convincingly demonstrate that the significant wave height combined prediction system outperforms existing solutions, excelling in both point and interval predictions of significant wave height.

Material Selection Framework for Lift-Based Wave Energy Converters Using the Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution

Material selection is a crucial aspect in the design of reliable, efficient and long-lasting wave energy converters (WECs). However, to date, the development of tailored methodologies applied to the material selection of WECs remains vastly unexplored. In this paper, a material selection framework for the case of lift-based WECs is developed. The application of the methodology is demonstrated with the hydrofoils of the device. Offshore steel, high-strength offshore steel, aluminium alloys, and carbon- and glass-fibre-reinforced composites are considered and evaluated subject to relevant criteria for wave energy converters, namely structural reliability, hydrodynamic efficiency, offshore maintainability, total manufacturing cost and environmental impact. Candidate materials are assessed via fuzzy TOPSIS for three scenarios of the life cycle of the WEC: conceptual, commercial and future projection stages. Results show that the choice of optimal materials could change from present to future and that multi-criteria decision-making tools aided by a fuzzy approach are useful design tools for novel WECs when field data are scarce. Hence, methodologies such as the ones presented in this work can help in reducing the probability of mechanical failures of emerging WEC technology.

Control co-design of power take-off and bypass valve for OWC-based wave energy conversion systems

Wave energy is a significant source of renewable energy harnessed by wave energy converters (WECs). However, due to the relatively high levelised cost of energy (LCoE), wave energy has not attained a commercial stage yet. To minimise the LCoE, since the optimum (uncontrolled) WEC design typically differs from the optimum controlled WEC design, control co-design (CCD) techniques are essential. With CCD, the WEC control-related aspects are taken into account from the start of the WEC design phase and, ideally, the best control-informed WEC design is then achieved. This paper specifically focuses on CCD for an oscillating-water-column (OWC) WEC, equipped with a Wells turbine and a bypass valve. In essence, a parametric CCD approach is devised to find the optimum (control-informed) turbine rotor diameter, and bypass valve diameter, for the considered OWC WEC. In particular, the optimum design parameters minimise a ‘simplified’ LCoE, which is chosen as a suitable performance function. Despite the LCoE is primarily sensitive to the power take-off size, rather than to the bypass valve size, peak-shaving control with a bypass valve potentially increases the capacity factor and, consequently, can minimise the LCoE for small-to-medium sized turbines.

Research and concept design of wave energy converter on ocean squid jigging ship

Wave power capture applied on a squid jigging ship is assessed in this paper; this would decrease the operating cost of ships and reduce carbon emissions. Firstly, the history of wave energy devices and wave energy generation on ships are briefly reviewed. Then, a new wave energy device on an ocean squid jigging ship is designed. The linear mathematical system model of the device, and WAMIT software are used to calculate wave energy captured. The floating bodies of the device is designed to take advantage of resonance. By comparing wave capture width ratio of the float with arm hinged on the ship, it is found that wave capture width ratio of the device is highest when the arm length is half a wavelength. The numerical method is validated by experimental tests which are presented in details from setup, data treatment to wave energy capture ratio calculated. Based on a resonance criterion, 20 wave energy device layouts of the ocean squid jigging ship are designed. From numerical simulation the optimum radius of the floating body is 2 m, and the maximum annual average power among these devices is 136 kW at Northwest Pacific fishery ground, which can provide about 10 % of the power consumption for the ocean squid jigging ship.

Period and length of high surface gravity waves measured in the coastal waters of eastern Arabian Sea and its variations in 10 years

Information on the period and length of waves is required for the planning and design of marine facilities and wave energy converters. In this article, the period and length of the waves measured during the peak monsoon (June–July) in the coastal waters of the eastern Arabian Sea for 10 years are examined. The most typical wave periods (T) are within 3.9 s and 5.5 s and about 25 % are above 9 s. The peak wave period (Tp) indicates that during the peak monsoon months, long-period waves dominate the eastern Arabian Sea. Significant wave period and integral wave period show a good linear relationship with energy wave period with a slope value close to 1. There are inter-annual variations of up to 15 % in the 90-percentile value of the Tp. From 2010 to 2019, the average wavelength during peak monsoon varied from 61.3 m to 67.6 m and the maximum wavelength from 216.6 m to 248.8 m. Interannual variations in the 90-percentile values for wavelength corresponding to maximum wave height is only 7 %.

Relevance of Robustness and Uncertainties Analysis in the Optimal Design of Wave Energy Converters

The optimisation design of Wave Energy Converters (WEC) to reduce the cost of energy of the technology is a widely investigated topic. In literature classical optimisation strategies have been presented and applied to identify the optimal system parameters of WECs to optimise specific techno-economic metrics. The performance of the optimal identified devices relies on these nominal parameters and it can be strongly affected by construction and modelling uncertainties. In this context, the concept of robustness of the optimal solution plays a relevant role in the identification of a device whose performance is affected as little as possible by uncertainties of various kinds. In the first part of this paper different declinations of robustness concept are derived from other fields of application and described. The identified robustness indexes are then applied to optimal solutions obtained via classical optimisation to evaluate its importance in the design process of WECs.
 Strictly related to this kind of methodology is the Sensitivity Analysis (SA) technique, it aims to investigate how the input variation (due to uncertainties or external noise or additional environmental parameters) influences the output results of a defined numerical model and highlight the relative input parameters relevance. Sensitivity Analysis, therefore, can be a valuable tool applicable in the uncertainty set estimation to identify the variables most subject to such uncertainties and their prominence.
 The main objective of the work is to underline the importance of introduce the robustness evaluation of WECs during the optimisation process since classical optimisation techniques can lead to solutions that are affected by uncertainties.