A Vertical Axis Wave Turbine With Cup Blades

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingchen Yang ◽  
Isaiah Diaz ◽  
Misael Morales ◽  
Pablo Obregon
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Wave Direction ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Water Motion ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Simple Waves ◽  
Alignment Angle ◽  
Local Water

A new wave energy converter (WEC) design and some test results are discussed in this work. Among a variety of WEC technologies being explored to date, a huge majority employs wave-driven reciprocating motion (e.g., heave, pitch, sway, reciprocating bending or curving, etc.) to harness energy. It is well known that reciprocating WECs only work well at or near a predefined wave frequency, in a preferred alignment angle with the wave direction (except for the heave type), and in organized waves. But real ocean waves are chaotic and have daily changing frequencies and propagation directions. To circumvent those issues of the reciprocating WECs, a new unidirectional WEC concept — a vertical axis wave turbine — is explored in this research. The key component of the wave turbine is a rotor, which has a number of uniquely arranged hemispherical shells as blades. When the rotor is exposed in waves with its shaft vertically oriented, local water motion in any spatial directions (due to waves) can always drive the rotor for unidirectional rotation regardless of the wave type and propagation direction. In other words, the rotor can rely on omnidirectional water motion to realize its unidirectional rotation. A model wave turbine employing this rotor design has been tested in a wave flume. Upon a successful demonstration in simulated irregular waves, the rotor’s unidirectional performance was systematically characterized under various experimental conditions in simple waves.

scholarly journals WAVE RUN-UP AT SEA DIKES UNDER OBLIQUE WAVE APPROACH

1982 ◽  
Vol 1 (18) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
E. Tautenhain ◽  
S. Kohlhase ◽  
H.W. Partenscky
Keyword(s):  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Wave Direction ◽  
Wave Runup ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Wave Impact ◽  
Oblique Wave ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Wave Approach ◽  
Impact Forces ◽  
Run Up

Besides wave impact forces, erosion of the inner side of a sea dike is a serious cause of destruction. Therefore, wave run-up and overtopping effects have to be considered with respect to the safety of a dike. Strong relations were found between both these influences (TAUTENHAIN et.al., 1980, 1981, 1982), based on experiments in a wave flume and using an energy conservation concept. However, under natural conditions, an oblique wave approach has to be considered. This paper deals with the influence of wave direction on wave runup on a smooth dike slope in order to provide a basis for calculating the overtopping rates for both regular and irregular waves.

A Vertical Axis Wave Turbine With Hydrofoil Blades

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingchen Yang ◽  
Isaiah Diaz ◽  
Sergio Soto Quintero
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Plane ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Hydrodynamic Performance ◽  
Vertical Shaft ◽  
Spatial Direction ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Vertically Aligned ◽  
Local Water ◽  
Driving Torque

This work discusses a new wave energy converter (WEC) design that, when deployed in waves, performs unidirectional rotation about a vertical shaft. The uniqueness of this new WEC design is on utilizing omnidirectional water flow generated by waves to drive a rotor to perform unidirectional rotation about a vertical axis. This unique feature circumvents the frequency-dependent issue of common WECs, and eliminate realignment needs to cope with dynamically changing wave propagation directions. The key component of the WEC is a rotor, which has a vertical shaft with a number of blades mounted to it. Each blade has a hydrofoil-shaped cross section and is in a bent shape along its span. The spanwise bending of the blades makes the rotor capable of gaining a unidirectional driving torque about the vertical shaft no matter in which spatial direction the local water is passing by. For validating the WEC design and gaining preliminary understanding, a very first rotor model without any parametric optimization was built. Two types of experiments were then carried out by employing this model. In the first type, the model was translated (with the shaft vertically aligned all the time) in still water along a horizontal direction (back and forth), a vertical direction (up and down), and a circular orbit in a vertical plane. In the second type, the model was exposed in waves generated in a wave flume. In all the experiments, well-established unidirectional rotation of the rotor about its vertical shaft has been observed. The hydrodynamic performance of the rotor in waves was further characterized through systematic experiments under various conditions.

Experimental Study of a Lift-Type Wave Energy Converter Rotor in a Freewheeling Mode

2019 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingchen Yang ◽  
Fredrick Jenet ◽  
Ben Xu ◽  
Juan Carlos Garza ◽  
Benjamin Tamayo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ◽  
Wells Turbine ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Research Findings

Abstract In pursuit of energy harvesting from ocean waves, our recent progress on studying wave interaction with a lift-type rotor is discussed in this paper. The particular focus is on the characterization of the rotor's unidirectional responsiveness in waves. The rotor consists of six hydrofoil blades in two sets. One blade set has three blades laid out as a vertical-axis wind turbine of the Darrieus type. The other blade set has three blades configured like a Wells turbine. In combination, the formed rotor can be driven by flows in any direction to perform a unidirectional rotation about its vertically mounted shaft. This unidirectional responsiveness of the rotor also holds in waves, making the rotor an effective device for wave energy conversion. For the parametric study of the rotor, hydrofoil blades using different cross-sectional profiles and chord lengths have been employed to configure the rotor. The rotor was then tested in a wave flume under various wave conditions in a freewheeling mode. Experimental results were analyzed and discussed. The yielded research findings will greatly enhance the fundamental understanding of the rotor performance in waves and effectively guide the prototype rotor development for practical applications.

APPLICATION OF ACOUSTIC METHODS IN RESEARCHES OF THE BOTTOM SEDIMENT DYNAMICS

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Б. Дивинский ◽  
B. Divinskiy ◽  
И. Грюне ◽  
I. Gryune ◽  
Р. Косьян ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Contactless Measurement ◽  
Measurement Means ◽  
Uniform Field ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Acoustic Methods ◽  
Back Scattering

Acoustic methods belong to contactless measurement means, possess high spatial and time resolution. Thus, the use of multifrequency allows directly profile both concentration and granulometric structure of the suspended substances. In 2008 in the Big Wave Flume (Hanover, Germany) by efforts of the Russian and German scientists there have been carried out the experiment on studying the bottom material suspension laws under the influence of irregular waves. The Aquascat 1000 acoustic back scattering sensor (ABS) manufactured by British company Aquatec (www.aquatecsubsea.com), equipped by a three-frequency transmitter with frequencies 1,0, 2,0 and 3,84 MHz, has been set on distance of 0,75 m from the bottom and 111 m from wave generator at the total depth of 3,2 m. Several dozen series of measurements at various parameters of surface waves have been carried out. The general picture of suspension is so that the external dynamic influence (currents, wave movements, turbulence, gravitation forces) creates a non-uniform field (gradient) of the suspended particles and in most cases due to this the average size of particles undergoes to the spatial-time variations. For this reason while defining the mass concentration of suspended sediment, using the single frequency transmitter there is necessity for numerous definition of the suspension granulometric structure what by isn’t always possible. If two and more frequencies are used the observed results comparison can give the information on average diameters of particles and on that basis the calculation of suspended sediment concentration is possibleLet's emphasize the basic advantages of back scattering acoustic gauges usage: – Obtaining the particles sizes and concentration distribution profiles is possible; – The initial granulometric structure of bottom sediments can be unknown (at use of several frequencies). The following can be referred to some lacks of the device: – The system should be calibrated in laboratory conditions; – In a positive feedback conditions the iterative computing process can converge to zero or to infinity. In this case experiments with a variation of carrier frequencies chosen for the analysis allow partially solve the problem (say experiments with different frequencies pairs, as 2/1 of MHz or 4/2 MHz).

Experimental Wave Flume Tests in ROV-Wave Interaction Effects on the Line Tension for a Work Class ROV in Splash Zone

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Binsar Lubis ◽  
Mehrdad Kimiaei
Keyword(s):  
Time History ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Line Tension ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Splash Zone ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Flume Tests ◽  
Tension Time ◽  
Work Class

Abstract Integrity and stability of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) when passing through the splash zone is one of the main concerns in the design of an ROV-umbilical system. Due to the lightweight nature of ROV in water, the umbilical experiences repetitive rapid transitions between slack and taut as the ROV travels through the splash zone. These rapid transitions induce tension spikes in the umbilical, namely snap forces, that can endanger the launch and recovery of an ROV. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the tension spikes do not exceed the safe working load of the umbilical. In this study, launch and recovery of a deep-water work class ROV are experimentally investigated using a 1:10 scaled ROV model through a series of wave flume tests. Different regular and irregular waves are generated in the flume while the ROV model is hung over the flume in four different positions. The tension time-history in the line is measured and recorded using a load cell at the top-end of the line. A simplified numerical model for launch and recovery of the ROV is developed and the numerical results are compared with the experimental ones. It is shown that the presented simplified model can be accurately used for analysis of launch and recovery of the ROV.

Effects of Disturbance of Current Field on Power Characteristics of a Floating Type Pitch-Controlled VAMT in a Real Sea

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Ikoma ◽  
Koichi Masuda ◽  
Hiroaki Eto ◽  
Chang-Kyu Rheem ◽  
Osamu Enomoto
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Velocity ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Floating Body ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Power Characteristics ◽  
Turbine Performance ◽  
Velocity Changes ◽  
Floating Type ◽  
Japanese Islands

While a type of marine turbine for tidal current generation can be chosen from several types, a vertical axis marine turbine (VAMT) should be better in Japan because sea areas around Japanese islands where current velocity is sufficient are limited. This study conducted a sea test of a VAMT of a floating type installed with six straight pitch-controllable blades. The cycloidal mechanism was adapted for the pitch control. The purpose of the study is to understand effects of ocean waves and motion of a floating body on turbine performance and behaviours of the VAMT in unideal current conditions. Besides, the data taken should be effective to consider that effects in order to design VAMTs. The setup with the setting angle of −30 degrees suggested highest performance from the sea tests, then 15% in maximum turbine power and maximum output was 40W. Ocean waves strongly affected on the turbine performance because fluid velocity changes due to ocean waves and it was unable to neglect the variation of the velocity in spite of small. The characteristics of the turbine sensitively varied because of ocean waves. The results suggested that during accelerating and decelerating incoming fluid speed, characteristics of the turbine were different in each case.

Study of a Wave Absorber in Various Distance Placed in a Sinusoidal Propagate Wave

2013 ◽  
Vol 302 ◽  
pp. 326-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Zhong Yuan ◽  
Bhupendra Singh Chauhan ◽  
Hee Chang Lim
Keyword(s):  
Wind Wave ◽  
Wave Length ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Floating Body ◽  
Environmental Condition ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Strong Source ◽  
Wave Heights ◽  
Ocean Environment ◽  
Fundamental Equations

Since there has been a rapid progress to understand the dynamics of an offshore floating body under an ocean environment, we undertake to generate the ocean waves in a lab-scale wind-wave flume. The study is aiming to observe and optimize the similar ocean environmental condition as input wave and to reduce the wall reflective wave. Several absorption methods are suggested to optimize the propagate wave by measuring the maximum and minimum of the standing wave envelope. There has been no optimized absorption method, as they highly depend on the wave period and the wave length. One of the methods - two fixed wave gauges measuring two wave heights and one wave phase - is applied in this study. In the present paper various approaches were used to analyze the results using the flume, by position of probes, with absorber and without absorber, different position, condition and angle of the wave absorber, This paper also focuses on the analysis of fundamental equations which describe the separating method of the incident and reflective wave, and finally we confirm that the wave absorber is highly efficient considering all the permutation and combination.From the study it is clear that there is a change in the wave amplitude at the receiving end then the generated end; wave absorber is a strong source to control the energy of the coming wave. With the changing the period of the wave, the reflectance is increasing when the period becomes larger.

Wave Attenuation Performance of Floating Breakwater Needs to be Evaluated by Using Irregular Waves

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chien Ming Wang ◽  
Huu Phu Nguyen ◽  
Jeong Cheol Park ◽  
Mengmeng Han ◽  
Nagi abdussamie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transmission Coefficient ◽  
Wave Height ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Wave Spectrum ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Regular Waves ◽  
Transmission Coefficients ◽  
Floating Breakwater ◽  
Floating Breakwaters

<p>Floating breakwaters have been used to protect shorelines, marinas, very large floating structures, dockyards, fish farms, harbours and ports from harsh wave environments. A floating breakwater outperforms its bottom-founded counterpart with respect to its environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness in relatively deep waters or soft seabed conditions, flexibility for expansion and downsizing and its mobility to be towed away. The effectiveness of a floating breakwater design is assessed by its wave attenuation performance that is measured by the wave transmission coefficient (i.e., the ratio of the transmitted wave height to the incident wave height or the ratio of the transmitted wave energy to the incident wave energy). In some current design guidelines for floating breakwaters, the transmission coefficient is estimated based on the assumption that the realistic ocean waves may be represented by regular waves that are characterized by the significant wave period and wave height of the wave spectrum. There is no doubt that the use of regular waves is simple for practicing engineers designing floating breakwaters. However, the validity and accuracy of using regular waves in the evaluation of wave attenuation performance of floating breakwaters have not been thoroughly discussed in the open literature. This study examines the wave transmission coefficients of floating breakwaters by performing hydrodynamic analysis of some large floating breakwaters in ocean waves modelled as regular waves as well as irregular waves described by a wave spectrum such as the Bretschneider spectrum. The formulation of the governing fluid motion and boundary conditions are based on classical linear hydrodynamic theory. The floating breakwater is assumed to take the shape of a long rectangular box modelled by the Mindlin thick plate theory. The finite element – boundary element method was employed to solve the fluid-structure interaction problem. By considering heave-only floating box-type breakwaters of 200m and 500m in length, it is found that the transmission coefficients obtained by using the regular wave model may be smaller (or larger) than that obtained by using the irregular wave model by up to 55% (or 40%). These significant differences in the transmission coefficient estimated by using regular and irregular waves indicate that simplifying assumption of realistic ocean waves as regular waves leads to significant over/underprediction of wave attenuation performance of floating breakwaters. Thus, when designing floating breakwaters, the ocean waves have to be treated as irregular waves modelled by a wave spectrum that best describes the wave condition at the site. This conclusion is expected to motivate a revision of design guidelines for floating breakwaters for better prediction of wave attenuation performance. Also, it is expected to affect how one carries out experiments on floating breakwaters in a wave basin to measure the wave transmission coefficients.</p>

Experimental Study of Wave Force Distribution on a Monopile Structure

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malene H. Vested ◽  
Stefan Carstensen ◽  
Erik Damgaard Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Wave Force ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Force Distribution ◽  
Wave Forces ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Effective Manner

As the demand for offshore wind energy continues to grow, the strive to understand the wave forces acting on the substructure of the wind turbines continues. In regard to wind turbine design, it is vital to consider not only the total wave force, but also the local wave forces. Local forces are particularly important for the design of secondary structures as e.g. mooring platforms. Typically, however, experimental studies mainly concern total forces or idealized local forces. We present here a rather simple way to measure local forces along a model monopile. The study is conducted in a wave flume of 28 m in length, in which waves are generated by a piston-type wave maker at a water depth of 0.515 m and shoal onto a bed of slope 1:25. A model monopile is installed and subjected to forcing from a series of both regular and irregular waves. In the experimental set-up, the model monopile is fixed at the bottom and the top and consists of seven independent cylindrical sections. The cylindrical sections are connected by force transducers which measure local shear, and so the associated local forces may be determined. The measured local forces are compared to the force distribution given by Morisons equation combined with linear theory and Wheeler stretching, which is a force estimate commonly used in the industry. This study shows that the total force is rather well captured by Morison’s equation. The force distribution estimated from Morison’s equation, however, shows larger discrepancies from the measured forces. This encourages for further measurements. In this study, we show that it is possible to measure force distribution on a model monopile in a simple and cost-effective manner. The aim is here to demonstrate the method and we will later present a larger body of work associated with the outcome of the measurements.

A Lagrangian Model for Irregular Waves and Wave Kinematics

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svein Helge Gjøsund
Keyword(s):  
Iterative Method ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Lagrangian Model ◽  
Surface Zone ◽  
Wave Interactions ◽  
Wave Flume ◽  
Wave Kinematics ◽  
Eulerian Formulation ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Good Agreement

It has proven difficult to describe the kinematics in irregular waves satisfactorily, in particular for the surface zone in broad-banded waves. A Lagrangian approach offers distinct advantages in this respect, eliminating the need for extrapolation of solutions or “stretching” of coordinates. This paper presents a model of irregular waves based on superposition of linear Lagrangian wave components, using an iterative method to obtain the Eulerian solution. This approach yields theoretically consistent results everywhere in the waves, and comparisons with wave flume measurements show good agreement. Also, the linear Lagrangian model includes wave interactions that would be nonlinear in an Eulerian formulation.

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