scholarly journals Coupling Methodology for Studying the Far Field Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays over a Varying Bathymetry

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gael Verao Fernandez ◽  
Philip Balitsky ◽  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Peter Troch

For renewable wave energy to operate at grid scale, large arrays of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) need to be deployed in the ocean. Due to the hydrodynamic interactions between the individual WECs of an array, the overall power absorption and surrounding wave field will be affected, both close to the WECs (near field effects) and at large distances from their location (far field effects). Therefore, it is essential to model both the near field and far field effects of WEC arrays. It is difficult, however, to model both effects using a single numerical model that offers the desired accuracy at a reasonable computational time. The objective of this paper is to present a generic coupling methodology that will allow to model both effects accurately. The presented coupling methodology is exemplified using the mild slope wave propagation model MILDwave and the Boundary Elements Methods (BEM) solver NEMOH. NEMOH is used to model the near field effects while MILDwave is used to model the WEC array far field effects. The information between the two models is transferred using a one-way coupling. The results of the NEMOH-MILDwave coupled model are compared to the results from using only NEMOH for various test cases in uniform water depth. Additionally, the NEMOH-MILDwave coupled model is validated against available experimental wave data for a 9-WEC array. The coupling methodology proves to be a reliable numerical tool as the results demonstrate a difference between the numerical simulations results smaller than 5% and between the numerical simulations results and the experimental data ranging from 3% to 11%. The simulations are subsequently extended for a varying bathymetry, which will affect the far field effects. As a result, our coupled model proves to be a suitable numerical tool for simulating far field effects of WEC arrays for regular and irregular waves over a varying bathymetry.

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gael Fernández ◽  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Peter Troch

Between the Wave Energy Converters (WECs) of a farm, hydrodynamic interactions occur and have an impact on the surrounding wave field, both close to the WECs (“near field” effects) and at large distances from their location (“far field” effects). To simulate this “far field” impact in a fast and accurate way, a generic coupling methodology between hydrodynamic models has been developed by the Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University in Belgium. This coupling methodology has been widely used for regular waves. However, it has not been developed yet for realistic irregular sea states. The objective of this paper is to present a validation of the novel coupling methodology for the test case of irregular waves, which is demonstrated here for coupling between the mild slope wave propagation model, MILDwave, and the ‘Boundary Element Method’-based wave–structure interaction solver, NEMOH. MILDwave is used to model WEC farm “far field” effects, while NEMOH is used to model “near field” effects. The results of the MILDwave-NEMOH coupled model are validated against numerical results from NEMOH, and against the WECwakes experimental data for a single WEC, and for WEC arrays of five and nine WECs. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between disturbance coefficient (Kd) values in the entire numerical domain ( R M S E K d , D ) are used for evaluating the performed validation. The R M S E K d , D between results from the MILDwave-NEMOH coupled model and NEMOH is lower than 2.0% for the performed test cases, and between the MILDwave-NEMOH coupled model and the WECwakes experimental data R M S E K d , D remains below 10%. Consequently, the efficiency is demonstrated of the coupling methodology validated here which is used to simulate WEC farm impact on the wave field under the action of irregular waves.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1137
Author(s):  
Philip Balitsky ◽  
Nicolas Quartier ◽  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Gael Verao Fernandez ◽  
Panagiotis Vasarmidis ◽  
...  

In this study, a series of modules is integrated into a wave-to-wire (W2W) model that links a Boundary Element Method (BEM) solver to a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) motion solver which are in turn coupled to a wave propagation model. The hydrodynamics of the WECs are resolved in the wave structure interaction solver NEMOH, the Power Take-off (PTO) is simulated in the WEC simulation tool WEC-Sim, and the resulting perturbed wave field is coupled to the mild-slope propagation model MILDwave. The W2W model is run for verified for a realistic wave energy project consisting of a WEC farm composed of 10 5-WEC arrays of Oscillating Surging Wave Energy Converters (OSWECs). The investigated WEC farm is modelled for a real wave climate and a sloping bathymetry based on a proposed OSWEC array project off the coast of Bretagne, France. Each WEC array is arranged in a power-maximizing 2-row configuration that also minimizes the inter-array separation distance d x and d y and the arrays are located in a staggered energy maximizing configuration that also decreases the along-shore WEC farm extent. The WEC farm power output and the near and far-field effects are simulated for irregular waves with various significant wave heights wave peak periods and mean wave incidence directions β based on the modelled site wave climatology. The PTO system of each WEC in each farm is modelled as a closed-circuit hydraulic PTO system optimized for each set of incident wave conditions, mimicking the proposed site technology, namely the WaveRoller® OSWEC developed by AW Energy Ltd. The investigation in this study provides a proof of concept of the proposed W2W model in investigating potential commercial WEC projects.


Author(s):  
Philip Balitsky ◽  
Gael Verao Fernandez ◽  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Peter Troch

In order to produce a large amount of electricity at a competitive cost, farms of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) will need to be deployed in the ocean. Due to hydrodynamic interaction between the devices, the geometric layout of the farm will influence the power production and affect the surrounding area around the WECs. Therefore it is essential to model both the near field effects and far field effects of the WEC farm. It is difficult, however, to model both, employing a single numerical model that offers the desired precision at a reasonable computational cost. The objective of this paper is to present a coupling methodology that will allow for the accurate modelling of both phenomena at a reasonably low computational cost. The one-way coupling proposed is between the Boundary Element Method (BEM) solver NEMOH, and the depth-averaged mild-slope wave propagation model, MILDwave. In the presented cases, NEMOH is used to resolve the near field effects whilst MILDwave is used to determine the far field effects.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (33) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Peter Troch ◽  
Timothy Stallard ◽  
Jens Peter Kofoed ◽  
Michel Benoit ◽  
...  

The shrinking reserves of fossil fuels in combination with the increasing energy demand have enhanced the interest in renewable energy sources, including wave energy. In order to extract a considerable amount of wave power, large numbers of Wave Energy Converters will have to be arranged in arrays or farms using a particular geometrical layout. The operational behaviour of a single device may have a positive or negative effect on the power absorption of the neighbouring WECs in the farm (near-field effects). Moreover, as a result of the interaction between the WECs within a farm, the overall power absorption and the wave climate in the lee of the WECs is modified, which may influence neighbouring farms, other users in the sea or even the coastline (far-field effects). Several numerical studies on large WEC arrays have already been performed, but large scale experimental studies on near-field and far-field wake effects of large WEC arrays are not available in literature. Within the HYDRALAB IV European programme, the research project WECwakes has been introduced to perform large scale experiments in the Shallow Water Wave Basin of DHI, in Denmark, on large arrays of point absorbers for different layout configurations and inter-WEC spacings. The aim is to validate and further develop the applied numerical methods, as well as to optimize the geometrical layout of WEC arrays for real applications.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 429
Author(s):  
Gael Verao Fernandez ◽  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Nicolas Quartier ◽  
Peter Troch

The study of the potential impact of wave energy converter (WEC) farms on the surrounding wave field at long distances from the WEC farm location (also know as “far field” effects) has been a topic of great interest in the past decade. Typically, “far-field” effects have been studied using phase average or phase resolving numerical models using a parametrization of the WEC power absorption using wave transmission coefficients. Most recent studies have focused on using coupled models between a wave-structure interaction solver and a wave-propagation model, which offer a more complex and accurate representation of the WEC hydrodynamics and PTO behaviour. The difference in the results between the two aforementioned approaches has not been studied yet, nor how different ways of modelling the PTO system can affect wave propagation in the lee of the WEC farm. The Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University has developed both a parameterized model using the sponge layer technique in the mild slope wave propagation model MILDwave and a coupled model MILDwave-NEMOH (NEMOH is a boundary element method-based wave-structure interaction solver), for studying the “far-field” effects of WEC farms. The objective of the present study is to perform a comparison between both numerical approaches in terms of performance for obtaining the “far-field” effects of two WEC farms. Results are given for a series of regular wave conditions, demonstrating a better accuracy of the MILDwave-NEMOH coupled model in obtaining the wave disturbance coefficient (Kd) values around the considered WEC farms. Subsequently, the analysis is extended to study the influence of the PTO system modelling technique on the “far-field” effects by considering: (i) a linear optimal, (ii) a linear sub-optimal and (iii) a non-linear hydraulic PTO system. It is shown that modelling a linear optimal PTO system can lead to an unrealistic overestimation of the WEC motions than can heavily affect the wave height at a large distance in the lee of the WEC farm. On the contrary, modelling of a sub-optimal PTO system and of a hydraulic PTO system leads to a similar, yet reduced impact on the “far-field” effects on wave height. The comparison of the PTO systems’ modelling technique shows that when using coupled models, it is necessary to carefully model the WEC hydrodynamics and PTO behaviour as they can introduce substantial inaccuracies into the WECs’ motions and the WEC farm “far-field” effects.


Author(s):  
Vasiliki Stratigaki ◽  
Peter Troch ◽  
David Forehand

This study focuses on the numerical modeling of wave fields around structures due to their interaction with waves, with the intention to simulate both the resulting near and far field effects. Examples from the wave energy world are employed such as Wave Energy Converters (WECs), fixed or oscillating devices usually arranged in farms, that interact with the incoming waves and extract wave energy from them. As a result of the hydrodynamic interaction between the devices within a farm (so-called near-field effects), the power absorption of the farm is affected. Moreover, wave dissipation has been observed numerically (e.g. Troch et al., 2010) and in scale tests (e.g. Stratigaki et al., 2014; 2015) between the WEC farm location and e.g. the shoreline (so called far-field effects). These wave field changes can affect neighboring sea activities, coastal eco-systems, the coastline and even coastal defense conditions/parameters.


2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei M. Nemilentsau ◽  
Gregory Ya. Slepyan ◽  
Sergey A. Maksimenko

1996 ◽  
Vol 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Gylling ◽  
L. Romero ◽  
L. Moreno ◽  
I. Neretnieks

ABSTRACTA coupled model concept which may be used for performance assessment of a nuclear repository is presented. The tool is developed by integration of two models, one near field and one far field model. A compartment model, NUCTRAN, is used to calculate the near field release from a damaged canister. The far field transport through fractured rock is simulated by using CHAN3D, based on a three-dimensional stochastic channel network concept. The near field release depends on the local hydraulic properties of the far field. The transport in the far field in turn depends on where the damaged canister(s) is located. The very large heterogeneities in the rock mass makes it necessary to study both the near field release properties and the location of release at the same time. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the coupled model concept it is applied on a hypothetical repository located at the Hard Rock Laboratory in Äspö, Sweden. Two main items were studied; the location of a damaged canister in relation to fracture zones and the barrier function of the host rock. In the study of the near field rock as a transport barrier the effect of different tunnel excavation methods which may influence the damage level of the rock around the tunnel was addressed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 1536-1543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitanjali Kolhatkar ◽  
Alexandre Merlen ◽  
Jiawei Zhang ◽  
Chahinez Dab ◽  
Gregory Q Wallace ◽  
...  

We introduce a simple, fast, efficient and non-destructive method to study the optical near-field properties of plasmonic nanotriangles prepared by nanosphere lithography. Using a rectangular Fourier filter on the blurred signal together with filtering of the lower spatial frequencies to remove the far-field contribution, the pure near-field contributions of the optical images were extracted. We performed measurements using two excitation wavelengths (532.1 nm and 632.8 nm) and two different polarizations. After the processing of the optical images, the distribution of hot spots can be correlated with the topography of the structures, as indicated by the presence of brighter spots at the apexes of the nanostructures. This technique is validated by comparison of the results to numerical simulations, where agreement is obtained, thereby confirming the near-field nature of the images. Our approach does not require any advanced equipment and we suggest that it could be applied to any type of sample, while keeping the measurement times reasonably short.


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth E Rhinefrank ◽  
Merrick C Haller ◽  
H Tuba Ozkan-Haller

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document