Wave energy extraction and hydroelastic response reduction of modular floating breakwaters as array wave energy converters integrated into a very large floating structure

This work presents a modular floating structure, which consists of five inner tension-leg platforms and two outermost wave energy converters (denoted as MTLPW). The hydrodynamic interaction effect and the mechanical coupling effect between the five inner tension-leg platforms (TLP) and the two outermost wave energy converters (WEC) are taken into consideration. The effects of the connection modes and power take-off (PTO) parameters of the WECs on the hydrodynamic performance of the MTLPW system are investigated under both operational and extreme sea conditions. The results indicate that the hydrodynamic responses of the MTLPW system are sensitive to the connection type of the outermost WECs. The extreme responses of the bending moment of connectors depend on the number of continuously fixed modules. By properly utilizing hinge-type connectors to optimize the connection mode for the MTLPW system, the effect of more inner TLP modules on the hydrodynamic responses of the MTLPW system can be limited to be acceptable. Therefore, the MTLPW system can be potentially expanded to a large degree.

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Heave Motion Performance of Multiple Wave Energy Converters Arrayed in a Water Channel Resonator

Volume 9: Ocean Renewable Energy ◽

10.1115/omae2020-18554 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jeongrok Kim ◽

Il-Hyoung Cho

Keyword(s):

Wave Energy ◽

Water Channel ◽

Standing Waves ◽

Low Density ◽

Energy Extraction ◽

Multiple Wave ◽

Wave Energy Converters ◽

Internal Fluid ◽

Heave Motion ◽

Energy Converters

Abstract The performance of multiple wave energy converters (WECs) arranged in a Y-shaped water channel resonator (WCR) for amplifying the wave energy with low density was investigated. The WCR consists of a long channel and waveguide installed at the entrance. If the period of the incident wave coincides with the natural period of the fluid in the WCR, then resonance occurs, and the internal fluid is greatly amplified in the form of standing waves. The WECs were positioned at the anti-nodes of standing waves formed in the WCR to maximize energy extraction. We dealt with the heave motion, time-averaged power, and capture width ratio (CWR) of WECs, which are composed of a heaving cylinder and a linear generator. For this purpose, we used the boundary element method and WAMIT commercial code. In parallel, systematic model tests were conducted at the 2D wave tank in Jeju National University to validate the numerical solution. Both results were in good agreement. WECs with a short draft are efficient in energy extraction compared with WECs with a long draft. Numerical and experimental results reveal that the WECs arranged in a WCR have higher efficiency over a wide band of periods than a single WEC without a WCR. Therefore, the wave energy with low density can be amplified by the resonance of the internal fluid in the WCR.

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