Numerical Modeling to Aid in the Structural Health Monitoring of Wave Energy Converters

2013 ◽  
Vol 569-570 ◽  
pp. 595-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Finnegan ◽  
Jamie Goggins
Keyword(s):  
Structural Health Monitoring ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Wave Structure ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Structural Health ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

A vital aspect of ensuring the cost effectiveness of wave energy converters (WECs) is being able to monitor their performance remotely through structural health monitoring, as these devices are deployed in very harsh environments in terms of both accessibility and potential damage to the devices. The WECs are monitored through the use of measuring equipment, which is strategically placed on the device. This measured data is then compared to the output from a numerical model of the WEC under the same ocean wave conditions. Any deviations would suggest that there are problems or issues with the WEC. The development of accurate and effective numerical models is necessary to minimise the number of times the visual, or physical, inspection of a deployed WEC is required. In this paper, a numerical wave tank model is, first, validated by comparing the waves generated to those generated experimentally using the wave flume located at the National University of Ireland, Galway. This model is then extended so it is suitable for generating real ocean waves. A wave record observed at the Atlantic marine energy test site has been replicated in the model to a high level of accuracy. A rectangular floating prism is then introduced into the model in order to explore wave-structure interaction. The dynamic response of the structure is compared to a simple analytical solution and found to be in good agreement.

scholarly journals HF Radars for Wave Energy Resource Assessment Offshore NW Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2070
Author(s):  
Ana Basañez ◽  
Vicente Pérez-Muñuzuri
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Wave Spectrum ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Resource Assessment ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Statistical Validation ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

Wave energy resource assessment is crucial for the development of the marine renewable industry. High-frequency radars (HF radars) have been demonstrated to be a useful wave measuring tool. Therefore, in this work, we evaluated the accuracy of two CODAR Seasonde HF radars for describing the wave energy resource of two offshore areas in the west Galician coast, Spain (Vilán and Silleiro capes). The resulting wave characterization was used to estimate the electricity production of two wave energy converters. Results were validated against wave data from two buoys and two numerical models (SIMAR, (Marine Simulation) and WaveWatch III). The statistical validation revealed that the radar of Silleiro cape significantly overestimates the wave power, mainly due to a large overestimation of the wave energy period. The effect of the radars’ data loss during low wave energy periods on the mean wave energy is partially compensated with the overestimation of wave height and energy period. The theoretical electrical energy production of the wave energy converters was also affected by these differences. Energy period estimation was found to be highly conditioned to the unimodal interpretation of the wave spectrum, and it is expected that new releases of the radar software will be able to characterize different sea states independently.

Peakedness of Wave Systems Observed on the French Wave Energy Test Site (SEM-REV) Using a Spectral Partitioning Algorithm

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Baptiste Saulnier ◽  
Izan Le Crom
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Extreme Conditions ◽  
Multiple Wave ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Partitioning Algorithm ◽  
Spectral Partitioning ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Energy Converters

Located off the Guérande peninsula, SEM-REV is the French maritime facility dedicated to the testing of wave energy converters and related components. Lead by Ecole Centrale de Nantes through the LHEEA laboratory, its aim is to promote research alongside the development of new offshore technologies. To this end, the 1km2, grid-connected zone is equipped with a comprehensive instruments network sensing met-ocean processes and especially waves, with two identical directional Waverider buoys deployed on the site since 2009. For the design of moored floating structures and, a fortiori, floating marine energy converters, the knowledge of the main wave resource — for regular operation — but also extreme conditions — for moorings and device survivability — has to be as precise as possible. Also, the consideration of the multiple wave systems (swell, wind sea) making up the sea state is a key asset for the support of developers before and during the testing phase. To this end, a spectral partitioning algorithm has been implemented which enables the individual characterisation of wave systems, in particular that of their spectral peakedness which is especially addressed in this work. Peakedness has been shown to be strongly related to the groupiness of large waves and is defined here as the standard JONSWAP’s peak enhancement factor γ. Statistics related to this quantity are derived from the measurement network, with a particular focus on the extreme conditions reported on SEM-REV (Joachim storm).

scholarly journals Hardware-in-the-loop simulation of wave energy converters based on dielectric elastomer generators

Meccanica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1223-1237
Author(s):  
Giacomo Moretti ◽  
Andrea Scialò ◽  
Giovanni Malara ◽  
Giovanni Gerardo Muscolo ◽  
Felice Arena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Polymer Materials ◽  
Hardware In The Loop ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

AbstractDielectric elastomer generators (DEGs) are soft electrostatic generators based on low-cost electroactive polymer materials. These devices have attracted the attention of the marine energy community as a promising solution to implement economically viable wave energy converters (WECs). This paper introduces a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation framework for a class of WECs that combines the concept of the oscillating water columns (OWCs) with the DEGs. The proposed HIL system replicates in a laboratory environment the realistic operating conditions of an OWC/DEG plant, while drastically reducing the experimental burden compared to wave tank or sea tests. The HIL simulator is driven by a closed-loop real-time hydrodynamic model that is based on a novel coupling criterion which allows rendering a realistic dynamic response for a diversity of scenarios, including large scale DEG plants, whose dimensions and topologies are largely different from those available in the HIL setup. A case study is also introduced, which simulates the application of DEGs on an OWC plant installed in a mild real sea laboratory test-site. Comparisons with available real sea-test data demonstrated the ability of the HIL setup to effectively replicate a realistic operating scenario. The insights gathered on the promising performance of the analysed OWC/DEG systems pave the way to pursue further sea trials in the future.

3D SPH Simulation of Wave Interaction Between Wave Energy Converters: Towards Optimum Wave Power Absorption in Wave Farms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Sasikala ◽  
S. A. Sannasiraj ◽  
Richard Manasseh
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Oscillation Amplitude ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Q Factor ◽  
Floating Bodies ◽  
Sustainable Resources ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

Abstract Ocean waves are one of the sustainable resources of renewable energy for carbon-free electricity. For cost-effective commercial-scale projects, Wave Energy Converters (WECs) are deployed in arrays with optimum spacing as an alternative for a large (oscillatory) device in isolation. It has been found that when the wave excitation frequency is close to the resonant frequency of the WEC, the efficiency factor of energy farms, called q-factor, increases with the oscillation amplitude of the device. It has been found that the maximum absorbed energy of WECs depends directly on array configuration as that the radiated and incident wave fields interfere to direct the energy flux in the ocean towards the floating bodies. In this paper, the fully nonlinear interaction between two 3D floating bodies in close proximity and excited near its’ resonance is studied using Weakly Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH). Apart from the calculations of q factor, hydrodynamic forces acting on the floating bodies and their dynamic responses are also calculated. An optimum array of WECs is proposed.

Artificial Neural Networks for Structural Health Monitoring of Helicopter Harsh Landings

2013 ◽  
Vol 390 ◽  
pp. 192-197
Author(s):  
Giorgio Vallone ◽  
Claudio Sbarufatti ◽  
Andrea Manes ◽  
Marco Giglio
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Artificial Neural Networks ◽  
Structural Health Monitoring ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Damage State ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Structural Health ◽  
Artificial Neural

The aim of the current paper is to explore fuselage monitoring possibilities trough the usage of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), trained by the use of numerical models, during harsh landing events. A harsh landing condition is delimited between the usual operational conditions and a crash event. Helicopter structural damage due to harsh landings is generally less severe than damage caused by a crash but may lead to unscheduled maintenance events, involving costs and idle times. Structural Health Monitoring technologies, currently used in many application fields, aim at the continuous detection of damage that may arise, thereby improving safety and reducing maintenance idle times by the disposal of a ready diagnosis. A landing damage database can be obtained with relatively little effort by the usage of a numerical model. Simulated data are used to train various ANNs considering the landing parameter values as input. The influence of both the input and output noise on the system performances were taken into account. Obtained outputs are a general classification between damaged and undamaged conditions, based on a critical damage threshold, and the reconstruction of the fuselage damage state.

Offshore Deployment of Point Absorbing Wave Energy Converters With a Direct Driven Linear Generator Power Take-Off at the Lysekil Test Site

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A. Chatzigiannakou ◽  
Irina Dolguntseva ◽  
Mats Leijon
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Underwater Robots ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Linear Generator ◽  
Point Absorber ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Energy Converters

Within the year 2013, four linear generators with point absorber buoy systems were deployed in the Lysekil test site. Until now, deployments of these point absorbing wave energy converters have been expensive, time consuming, complicated and raised safety issues. In the present paper, we focus on the analysis and optimization of the offshore deployment process of wave energy converters with a linear generator power take-off which has been constructed by Uppsala University. To address the crucial issues regarding the deployment difficulties, case study of previous offshore deployments at the Lysekil test site are presented regarding such parameters as safety, cost and time efficiency. It was discovered that the deployment process can be improved significantly, mainly by using new technologies, e.g., new specialized deployment vessels, underwater robots for inspections and for connecting cables and an automatized pressurizing process. Addressing the main deployment difficulties and constrains leads us to discovery of methods that makes offshore deployments more cost-efficient and faster, in a safety context.

On the Importance of High–Fidelity Numerical Modelling of Ocean Wave Energy Converters under Controlled Conditions

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Windt
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modelling ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Ocean Wave ◽  
High Fidelity ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Ocean Wave Energy ◽  
Controlled Conditions ◽  
Hydrodynamic Wave ◽  
Energy Converters

Abstract. Numerical modelling tools are commonly applied during the development and optimisation of ocean wave energy converters (WECs). Models are available for the hydrodynamic wave structure interaction, as well as the WEC sub–systems, such as the power take–off (PTO) model. Based on the implemented equations, different levels of fidelity are available for the numerical models. Specifically under controlled conditions, with enhance WEC motion, it is assumed that non-linearities are more prominent, re- quiring the use of high–fidelity modelling tools. Based on two different test cases for two different WECs, this paper highlights the importance of high–fidelity numerical modelling of WECs under controlled conditions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document