Ocean Wave Energy Conversion Devices Popular Today

1985 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-113
Author(s):  
K.C. Watts ◽  
J.W. Graham

Wave energy is one source of alternate energy that has fascinated man’s imagination throughout history yet has alluded his ability to tap it economically for domestic use. Considerable interest in harnessing wave energy exists today in a number of parts of the world, prompted to a large extent by the oil crisis of 1973. This paper examines several wave energy devices which are currently being investigated in the United Kingdom, Japan, Norway and the U.S.A. Each is briefly examined in respect to its operating principles, efficiency, advantages, weaknesses and state of development. The devices discussed are: (1) the Kaimei, the floating ship off the coast of Japan; (2) Salter’s nodding duck with its gyroscopic reference frame; (3) the Lancaster flexible bag; (4) the SEA CLAM version of a flexible bag; (5) the NEL oscillating water column fixed rigidly to the ground; (6) the Vickers terminator and attenuator versions of the oscillating water column; (7) the Norwegian use of a “harbour” with an oscillating water column used to increase the device’s range of frequency response; (8) the latching buoy of Norway; and (9) the Bristol cylinder. Also presented are the studies at the Technical University of Nova Scotia of a two hinged floating raft, the DAM ATOLL of U.S.A. origin and a version of an oscillating water column device designed to increase its spectral response.

Author(s):  
Brad Stappenbelt ◽  
Massimo Fiorentini ◽  
Paul Cooper ◽  
Song-Ping Zhu ◽  
Jean-Roch Nader

One of the objectives of studies regarding the performance of floating oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy conversion devices is the prediction of the heave motion of the chamber and the water column. This paper presents a method to evaluate the parameters involved in the dynamics of partially submerged bodies in order to predict the coupled movement of the chamber and the water column in the frequency domain. System identification was performed and a lumped parameter model of the heave motions of a floating OWC was proposed. A novel approach utilising the reverse SISO method was employed to allow frequency dependent parameters for both the floating structure and the oscillating water column to be determined from several forced vibration experiments. Experimental results under forced vibration and wave excitation agree reasonably well with the dynamic model established.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.F.O. Falcão

Abstract. Oscillating-water-column (OWC) converters, of fixed structure or floating, are an important class of wave energy devices. A large part of wave energy converter prototypes deployed so far into the sea are of OWC type. The paper presents a review of recent advances in OWC technology, including sea-tested prototypes and plants, new concepts, air turbines, model testing techniques and control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (01) ◽  
pp. 37-42
Author(s):  
Sigit Arrohman ◽  
Dwi Aries Himawanto

Renewable energy is one of the government's efforts to increase the source of the national electricity supply and reduce fossil energy sources. Indonesia has the potential to develop renewable energy in the fields of ocean waves, sunlight, water, and geothermal. But of all these, the most promising to become renewable energy development opportunities are water energy, geothermal energy and ocean wave energy. Indonesia as an archipelagic country with an area of ​​1,904,556 km2 which consists of; 17,508 islands, 5.8 million km2 of ocean and 81,290 million km of beach length, the potential for marine energy, especially ocean waves, is very potential to be empowered as new and renewable alternative primary energy, especially for power generation. This ocean wave power plant has been widely developed, including: buoy type technology, overtopping devices technology, oscillating water column technology. Oscillating Water Column (OWC) is an alternative technology to convert ocean wave energy using an oscillating water column system. The ocean wave conversion technology of the OWC system was chosen because it is suitable in areas with steep coastal topography and has a wave height value between 0.2 m to 1.19 m and even exceeds so that the electricity generated is greater. OWC technology which will be developed for the territory of Indonesia has several opportunities and challenges. Opportunities and challenges that will be faced include the potential for waves, the application of OWC to waterways in Indonesia, OWC systems, and technology investment for the prospect of long-term energy development in Indonesia.  


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