energies-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2016) | Viewed by 93744

Special Issue Editor

College of Engineering & Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Interests: physical and numerical modelling of oceanic, estuarine and freshwater systems including: hydrodynamics; water quality (nutrients, sediment, algae); aquaculture; wave and tidal energy; climate change

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ocean energy has the potential to make a significant contribution to global energy use in the future. While harvesting energy from tides and waves is hugely attractive, given their renewable nature, the wave and tidal energy industries still have many challenges to overcome. Not least among these are accurate assessment of the available resource and the determination of the impacts of wave and tidal energy convertors on the environment. Identification of hydrodynamic impacts is not only important from the perspective of environmental protection, but also from an economic perspective, as each convertor placed in the water will alter the available resource and therefore the energy yield. The prohibitive cost of testing of full-scale devices means that numerical modelling has a key role to play in the investigation of impacts of large arrays of wave or tidal stream devices, or of tidal barrages.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

  • characterisation of the available wave/tidal energy resource;
  • investigation of the hydro-environmental impacts of wave/tidal energy convertors;
  • optimisation of the energy capture by wave/tidal energy schemes.

Dr. Stephen Nash
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wave energy
  • tidal energy
  • resource assessment
  • hydro-environmental impacts
  • array optimisation

Published Papers (16 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

7859 KiB  
Article
A Method for Energy and Resource Assessment of Waves in Finite Water Depths
by Wanan Sheng and Hui Li
Energies 2017, 10(4), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10040460 - 02 Apr 2017
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 4721
Abstract
This paper presents a new method for improving the assessment of energy and resources of waves in the cases of finite water depths in which the historical and some ongoing sea wave measurements are simply given in forms of scatter diagrams or the [...] Read more.
This paper presents a new method for improving the assessment of energy and resources of waves in the cases of finite water depths in which the historical and some ongoing sea wave measurements are simply given in forms of scatter diagrams or the forms of (significant) wave heights and the relevant statistical wave periods, whilst the detailed spectrum information has been discarded, thus no longer available for the purpose of analysis. As a result of such simplified wave data, the assessment for embracing the effects of water depths on wave energy and resources becomes either difficult or inaccurate. In many practical cases, the effects of water depths are simply ignored because the formulas for deep-water waves are frequently employed. This simplification may cause large energy under-estimations for the sea waves in finite water depths. To improve the wave energy assessment for such much-simplified wave data, an approximate method is proposed for approximating the effect of water depth in this research, for which the wave energy period or the calculated peak period can be taken as the reference period for implementing the approximation. The examples for both theoretical and measured spectra show that the proposed method can significantly reduce the errors on wave energy assessment due to the approximations and inclusions of the effects of finite water depths. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

5155 KiB  
Article
Optimizing the Performance of Solo Duck Wave Energy Converter in Tide
by Jinming Wu, Yingxue Yao, Wei Li, Liang Zhou and Malin Göteman
Energies 2017, 10(3), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10030289 - 28 Feb 2017
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6035
Abstract
The high efficiency performance of the Edinburgh Duck wave energy converter (WEC) in 2D regular wave tests makes it a promising wave energy conversion scheme. A solo Duck WEC will be able to apply the point absorber effect to further enhance its performance. [...] Read more.
The high efficiency performance of the Edinburgh Duck wave energy converter (WEC) in 2D regular wave tests makes it a promising wave energy conversion scheme. A solo Duck WEC will be able to apply the point absorber effect to further enhance its performance. Since released degree of freedom will decrease the efficiency, a Duck WEC with fixed pitching axis will be a better option. However, for fixed supported WECs, tide is a non-ignorable consideration. In this paper, a movable mass method is utilized in the whole tidal range to not only balance the Duck to appropriate beak angles, but also follow the variation of hydrodynamic coefficients to keep cancelling the reactance of the system impedance so that complex conjugate control can be realized to optimize the power capture performance of the Duck WEC in tide. Results show that the beak angle should be adjusted to as large a value as possible so that the response amplitude of the Duck at maximum relative capture width will be reasonable small, and the lowest weight of the movable mass is found when its designed position locates at the center of the Duck profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

5598 KiB  
Article
Designing and Testing Composite Energy Storage Systems for Regulating the Outputs of Linear Wave Energy Converters
by Zanxiang Nie, Xi Xiao, Pritesh Hiralal, Xuanrui Huang, Richard McMahon, Min Zhang and Weijia Yuan
Energies 2017, 10(1), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10010114 - 18 Jan 2017
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5274
Abstract
Linear wave energy converters generate intrinsically intermittent power with variable frequency and amplitude. A composite energy storage system consisting of batteries and super capacitors has been developed and controlled by buck-boost converters. The purpose of the composite energy storage system is to handle [...] Read more.
Linear wave energy converters generate intrinsically intermittent power with variable frequency and amplitude. A composite energy storage system consisting of batteries and super capacitors has been developed and controlled by buck-boost converters. The purpose of the composite energy storage system is to handle the fluctuations and intermittent characteristics of the renewable source, and hence provide a steady output power. Linear wave energy converters working in conjunction with a system composed of various energy storage devices, is considered as a microsystem, which can function in a stand-alone or a grid connected mode. Simulation results have shown that by applying a boost H-bridge and a composite energy storage system more power could be extracted from linear wave energy converters. Simulation results have shown that the super capacitors charge and discharge often to handle the frequent power fluctuations, and the batteries charge and discharge slowly for handling the intermittent power of wave energy converters. Hardware systems have been constructed to control the linear wave energy converter and the composite energy storage system. The performance of the composite energy storage system has been verified in experiments by using electronics-based wave energy emulators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

4625 KiB  
Article
Energy Conversion: A Comparison of Fix- and Self-Referenced Wave Energy Converters
by Wanan Sheng and Tony Lewis
Energies 2016, 9(12), 1056; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9121056 - 15 Dec 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4454
Abstract
The paper presents an investigation of fix-referenced and self-referenced wave energy converters and a comparison of their corresponding wave energy conversion capacities from real seas. For conducting the comparisons, two popular wave energy converters, point absorber and oscillating water column, and their power [...] Read more.
The paper presents an investigation of fix-referenced and self-referenced wave energy converters and a comparison of their corresponding wave energy conversion capacities from real seas. For conducting the comparisons, two popular wave energy converters, point absorber and oscillating water column, and their power conversion capacities in the fixed-referenced and self-referenced forms have been numerically studied and compared. In the numerical models, the device’s power extractions from seas are maximized using the correspondingly optimized power take-offs in different sea states, thus their power conversion capacities can be calculated and compared. From the comparisons and analyses, it is shown that the energy conversion capacities of the self-referenced devices can be significantly increased if the motions of the device itself can be utilized for wave energy conversion; and the self-referenced devices can be possibly designed to be compliant in long waves, which could be a very beneficial factor for device survivability in the extreme wave conditions (normally long waves). In this regards, the self-referenced WECs (wave energy converters) may be better options in terms of wave energy conversion from the targeted waves in seas (frequently the most occurred), and in terms of the device survivability, especially in the extreme waves when compared to the fix-referenced counterparts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

22521 KiB  
Article
A Detailed Assessment of the Wave Energy Resource at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site
by Reduan Atan, Jamie Goggins and Stephen Nash
Energies 2016, 9(11), 967; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9110967 - 18 Nov 2016
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 8321
Abstract
Wave characteristic assessments of wave energy test sites provide a greater understanding of prevailing wave conditions and are therefore extremely important to both wave energy test site operators and clients as they can inform wave energy converter design, optimisation, deployment, operation and maintenance. [...] Read more.
Wave characteristic assessments of wave energy test sites provide a greater understanding of prevailing wave conditions and are therefore extremely important to both wave energy test site operators and clients as they can inform wave energy converter design, optimisation, deployment, operation and maintenance. This research presents an assessment of the wave resource at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS) on the west coast of Ireland based on 12-years of modelled data from January 2004 to December 2015. The primary aim is to provide an assessment of annual and seasonal wave characteristics and resource variability at the two deployment berths which comprise the site. A nested model has been developed using Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) to replicate wave propagations from regional to local scale with a 0.05° resolution model covering the northeast Atlantic and a 0.0027° resolution model covering AMETS. The coarse and fine models have been extensively validated against available measured data within Irish waters. 12-year model outputs from the high resolution model were analysed to determine mean and maximum conditions and operational, high and extreme event conditions for significant wave height, energy period and power. Annual and seasonal analyses are presented. The 12-year annual mean P were 68 kW/m at Berth A (BA) and 57 kW/m at Berth B (BB). The resource shows strong seasonal and annual variations and the winter mean power levels were found to be strongly correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

4347 KiB  
Article
Perturb and Observe Control for an Embedded Point Pivoted Absorber
by Gianluca Brando, Domenico Pietro Coiro, Marino Coppola, Adolfo Dannier, Andrea Del Pizzo and Ivan Spina
Energies 2016, 9(11), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9110939 - 10 Nov 2016
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3872
Abstract
Marine energy sources represent an attractive and inexhaustible reservoir able to contribute to the fulfillment of the world energy demand in accordance with climate/energy regulatory frameworks. Wave energy converter (WEC) integration into the main grid requires both the maximization of the harvested energy [...] Read more.
Marine energy sources represent an attractive and inexhaustible reservoir able to contribute to the fulfillment of the world energy demand in accordance with climate/energy regulatory frameworks. Wave energy converter (WEC) integration into the main grid requires both the maximization of the harvested energy and the proper management of the generation variability. The present paper focuses on both these mentioned issues. More specifically, it presents an embedded point pivoted absorber (PPA) and its related control strategy aimed at maximizing the harvested energy. Experimental and numerical investigations have been carried out in a wave/towing tank facility in order to derive the design characteristics of the full-scale model and demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

5151 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulations of the Effects of a Tidal Turbine Array on Near-Bed Velocity and Local Bed Shear Stress
by Philip A. Gillibrand, Roy A. Walters and Jason McIlvenny
Energies 2016, 9(10), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9100852 - 21 Oct 2016
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5244
Abstract
We apply a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to consider the potential effects of energy extraction by an array of tidal turbines on the ambient near-bed velocity field and local bed shear stress in a coastal channel with strong tidal currents. Local bed shear stress [...] Read more.
We apply a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to consider the potential effects of energy extraction by an array of tidal turbines on the ambient near-bed velocity field and local bed shear stress in a coastal channel with strong tidal currents. Local bed shear stress plays a key role in local sediment dynamics. The model solves the Reynold-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations on an unstructured mesh using mixed finite element and finite volume techniques. Tidal turbines are represented through an additional form drag in the momentum balance equation, with the thrust imparted and power generated by the turbines being velocity dependent with appropriate cut-in and cut-out velocities. Arrays of 1, 4 and 57 tidal turbines, each of 1.5 MW capacity, were simulated. Effects due to a single turbine and an array of four turbines were negligible. The main effect of the array of 57 turbines was to cause a shift in position of the jet through the tidal channel, as the flow was diverted around the tidal array. The net effect of this shift was to increase near-bed velocities and bed shear stress along the northern perimeter of the array by up to 0.8 m·s−1 and 5 Pa respectively. Within the array and directly downstream, near-bed velocities and bed shear stress were reduced by similar amounts. Changes of this magnitude have the potential to modify the known sand and shell banks in the region. Continued monitoring of the sediment distributions in the region will provide a valuable dataset on the impacts of tidal energy extraction on local sediment dynamics. Finally, the mean power generated per turbine is shown to decrease as the turbine array increased in size. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

6845 KiB  
Article
Impact of Tidal Level Variations on Wave Energy Absorption at Wave Hub
by Valeria Castellucci, Mikael Eriksson and Rafael Waters
Energies 2016, 9(10), 843; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9100843 - 19 Oct 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5839
Abstract
The energy absorption of the wave energy converters (WEC) characterized by a limited stroke length —like the point absorbers developed at Uppsala University—depends on the sea level variation at the deployment site. In coastal areas characterized by high tidal ranges, the daily energy [...] Read more.
The energy absorption of the wave energy converters (WEC) characterized by a limited stroke length —like the point absorbers developed at Uppsala University—depends on the sea level variation at the deployment site. In coastal areas characterized by high tidal ranges, the daily energy production of the generators is not optimal. The study presented in this paper quantifies the effects of the changing sea level at the Wave Hub test site, located at the south-west coast of England. This area is strongly affected by tides: the tidal height calculated as the difference between the Mean High Water Spring and the Mean Low Water Spring in 2014 was about 6.6 m. The results are obtained from a hydro-mechanic model that analyzes the behaviour of the point absorber at the Wave Hub, taking into account the sea state occurrence scatter diagram and the tidal time series at the site. It turns out that the impact of the tide decreases the energy absorption by 53%. For this reason, the need for a tidal compensation system to be included in the design of the WEC becomes compelling. The economic advantages are evaluated for different scenarios: the economic analysis proposed within the paper allows an educated guess to be made on the profits. The alternative of extending the stroke length of the WEC is investigated, and the gain in energy absorption is estimated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

2713 KiB  
Article
Optimal Site Selection of Tidal Power Plants Using a Novel Method: A Case in China
by Yunna Wu, Chuanbo Xu and Hu Xu
Energies 2016, 9(10), 832; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9100832 - 19 Oct 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 9020
Abstract
The site selection plays an important role in the entire life cycle of a tidal power plant (TPP) project. However, some problems decrease the evaluation quality of TPP site selection: (a) suitable and effective methods are scarce since the TPP site selection involves [...] Read more.
The site selection plays an important role in the entire life cycle of a tidal power plant (TPP) project. However, some problems decrease the evaluation quality of TPP site selection: (a) suitable and effective methods are scarce since the TPP site selection involves multiple forms of data; (b) there is no comprehensive evaluation index system due to the unilateralism of existing criteria. In this paper, we firstly propose a novel method based on interval number with probability distribution weighted operation and stochastic dominance degree. It takes all stakeholders’ preferences into consideration and can simultaneously deal with different forms of data in the TPP site selection; then, a comprehensive evaluation index system for TPP site selection is constructed on the basis of academic literature, feasibility research reports and expert opinions in different fields. It takes the factors of construction conditions, existing policies, social impacts as well as ecological and environmental impacts which reflects the inherent characteristics of TPP site selection fully into account. Finally, a Chinese case study is given to illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

5477 KiB  
Article
Numerical Study on Self-Starting Performance of Darrieus Vertical Axis Turbine for Tidal Stream Energy Conversion
by Zhen Liu, Hengliang Qu and Hongda Shi
Energies 2016, 9(10), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9100789 - 29 Sep 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4986
Abstract
Self-starting performance is a key factor in the evaluation of a Darrieus straight-bladed vertical axis turbine. Most traditional studies have analyzed the turbine’s self-starting capability using the experimental and numerical data of the forced rotation. A 2D numerical model based on the computational [...] Read more.
Self-starting performance is a key factor in the evaluation of a Darrieus straight-bladed vertical axis turbine. Most traditional studies have analyzed the turbine’s self-starting capability using the experimental and numerical data of the forced rotation. A 2D numerical model based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS-Fluent was developed to simulate the self-starting process of the rotor at constant incident water-flow velocities. The vertical-axis turbine (VAT) rotor is driven directly by the resultant torque generated by the water flow and system loads, including the friction and reverse loads of the generator. It is found that the incident flow velocity and the moment of inertia of the rotor have little effect on the averaged values of tip-speed ratios in the equilibrium stage under no-load conditions. In the system load calculations, four modes of the self-starting were found: stable equilibrium mode, unstable equilibrium mode, switch mode and halt mode. The dimensionless power coefficient in the simulations of passive rotation conditions is found to be, on average, 38% higher than those achieved in the simulations of forced rotation conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14564 KiB  
Article
High-Resolution Wave Energy Assessment in Shallow Water Accounting for Tides
by Dina Silva, Eugen Rusu and Carlos Guedes Soares
Energies 2016, 9(9), 761; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9090761 - 20 Sep 2016
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4529
Abstract
The wave energy in a shallow water location is evaluated considering the influence of the local tide and wind on the wave propagation. The target is the coastal area just north of the Portuguese city of Peniche, where a wave energy converter operates [...] Read more.
The wave energy in a shallow water location is evaluated considering the influence of the local tide and wind on the wave propagation. The target is the coastal area just north of the Portuguese city of Peniche, where a wave energy converter operates on the sea bottom. A wave modelling system based on SWAN has been implemented and focused on this coastal environment in a multilevel computational scheme. The first three SWAN computational belonging to this wave prediction system were defined using the spherical coordinates. In the highest resolution computational domain, Cartesian coordinates have been considered, with a resolution of 25 m in both directions. An in-depth analysis of the main characteristics of the environmental matrix has been performed. This is based on the results of eight-year model system simulations (2005–2012). New simulations have been carried out in the last two computational domains with the most relevant wave and wind patterns, considering also the tide effect. The results show that the tide level, together with the wind intensity and direction, may influence to a significant degree the wave characteristics. This especially concerns the wave power in the location where the wave converter operates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

985 KiB  
Article
Maintenance Maneuver Automation for an Adapted Cylindrical Shape TEC
by Rafael Morales, Lorenzo Fernández, Eva Segura and José A. Somolinos
Energies 2016, 9(9), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9090746 - 14 Sep 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5029
Abstract
Several manufacturers have developed devices with which to harness tidal/current power in areas where the depth does not exceed 40 m. These are the so-called first generation Tidal Energy Converters (TEC), and they are usually fixed to the seabed by gravity. When carrying [...] Read more.
Several manufacturers have developed devices with which to harness tidal/current power in areas where the depth does not exceed 40 m. These are the so-called first generation Tidal Energy Converters (TEC), and they are usually fixed to the seabed by gravity. When carrying out maintenance tasks on these devices it is, therefore, necessary to remove the nacelles from their bases and raise them to the surface of the sea. They must subsequently be placed back on their bases. These tasks require special high performance ships, signifying high maintenance costs. The automation of emersion and immersion maneuvers will undoubtedly lead to lower costs, given that ships with less demanding requirements will be required for the aforementioned maintenance tasks. This research presents a simple two degrees of freedom dynamic model that can be used to control a first generation TEC that has been conceived of to harness energy from marine currents. The control of the system is carried out by means of a water ballast system located inside the nacelle of the main power unit and is used as an actuator to produce buoying vertical forces. A nonlinear control law based on a decoupling term for the closed loop depth and/or orientation control is also proposed in order to ensure adequate behavior when the TEC performs emersion and immersion maneuvers with only hydrostatic buoyancy forces. The control scheme is composed of an inner loop consisting of a linear and decoupled input/output relationship and the vector of friction and compressibility terms and an outer loop that operates with the tracking error vector in order to ensure the asymptotically exponential stability of the TEC posture. Finally, the effectiveness of the dynamic model and the controller approach is demonstrated by means of numerical simulations when the TEC is carrying out an emersion maneuver for the development of general maintenance tasks and an emersion maneuver for blade-cleaning maintenance tasks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

2890 KiB  
Article
Impact of Generator Stroke Length on Energy Production for a Direct Drive Wave Energy Converter
by Yue Hong, Mikael Eriksson, Cecilia Boström and Rafael Waters
Energies 2016, 9(9), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9090730 - 09 Sep 2016
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6200
Abstract
The Lysekil wave energy converter (WEC), developed by the wave energy research group of Uppsala University, has evolved through a variety of mechanical designs since the first prototype was installed in 2006. The hundreds of engineering decisions made throughout the design processes have [...] Read more.
The Lysekil wave energy converter (WEC), developed by the wave energy research group of Uppsala University, has evolved through a variety of mechanical designs since the first prototype was installed in 2006. The hundreds of engineering decisions made throughout the design processes have been based on a combination of theory, know-how from previous experiments, and educated guesses. One key parameter in the design of the WECs linear generator is the stroke length. A long stroke requires a taller WEC with associated economical and mechanical challenges, but a short stroke limits the power production. The 2-m stroke of the current WECs has been an educated guess for the Swedish wave climate, though the consequences of this choice on energy absorption have not been studied. When the WEC technology is considered for international waters, with larger waves and challenges of energy absorption and survivability, the subject of stroke length becomes even more relevant. This paper studies the impact of generator stroke length on energy absorption for three sites off the coasts of Sweden, Chile and Scotland. 2-m, 4-m, and unlimited stroke are considered. Power matrices for the studied WEC prototype are presented for each of the studied stroke lengths. Presented results quantify the losses incurred by a limited stroke. The results indicate that a 2-m stroke length is likely to be a good choice for Sweden, but 4-m is likely to be necessary in more energetic international waters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

5959 KiB  
Article
Statistical Analysis of Wave Climate Data Using Mixed Distributions and Extreme Wave Prediction
by Wei Li, Jan Isberg, Rafael Waters, Jens Engström, Olle Svensson and Mats Leijon
Energies 2016, 9(6), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9060396 - 25 May 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6094
Abstract
The investigation of various aspects of the wave climate at a wave energy test site is essential for the development of reliable and efficient wave energy conversion technology. This paper presents studies of the wave climate based on nine years of wave observations [...] Read more.
The investigation of various aspects of the wave climate at a wave energy test site is essential for the development of reliable and efficient wave energy conversion technology. This paper presents studies of the wave climate based on nine years of wave observations from the 2005–2013 period measured with a wave measurement buoy at the Lysekil wave energy test site located off the west coast of Sweden. A detailed analysis of the wave statistics is investigated to reveal the characteristics of the wave climate at this specific test site. The long-term extreme waves are estimated from applying the Peak over Threshold (POT) method on the measured wave data. The significant wave height and the maximum wave height at the test site for different return periods are also compared. In this study, a new approach using a mixed-distribution model is proposed to describe the long-term behavior of the significant wave height and it shows an impressive goodness of fit to wave data from the test site. The mixed-distribution model is also applied to measured wave data from four other sites and it provides an illustration of the general applicability of the proposed model. The methodologies used in this paper can be applied to general wave climate analysis of wave energy test sites to estimate extreme waves for the survivability assessment of wave energy converters and characterize the long wave climate to forecast the wave energy resource of the test sites and the energy production of the wave energy converters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Figure 1

528 KiB  
Article
One-Dimensional Modelling of Marine Current Turbine Runaway Behaviour
by Staffan Lundin, Anders Goude and Mats Leijon
Energies 2016, 9(5), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9050309 - 25 Apr 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4574
Abstract
If a turbine loses its electrical load, it will rotate freely and increase speed, eventually achieving that rotational speed which produces zero net torque. This is known as a runaway situation. Unlike many other types of turbine, a marine current turbine will typically [...] Read more.
If a turbine loses its electrical load, it will rotate freely and increase speed, eventually achieving that rotational speed which produces zero net torque. This is known as a runaway situation. Unlike many other types of turbine, a marine current turbine will typically overshoot the final runaway speed before slowing down and settling at the runaway speed. Since the hydrodynamic forces acting on the turbine are dependent on rotational speed and acceleration, turbine behaviour during runaway becomes important for load analyses during turbine design. In this article, we consider analytical and numerical models of marine current turbine runaway behaviour in one dimension. The analytical model is found not to capture the overshoot phenomenon, while still providing useful estimates of acceleration at the onset of runaway. The numerical model incorporates turbine wake build-up and predicts a rotational speed overshoot. The predictions of the models are compared against measurements of runaway of a marine current turbine. The models are also used to recreate previously-published results for a tidal turbine and applied to a wind turbine. It is found that both models provide reasonable estimates of maximum accelerations. The numerical model is found to capture the speed overshoot well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

2170 KiB  
Article
Study on the Performance of the “Pendulor” Wave Energy Converter in an Array Configuration
by Sudath Prasanna Gunawardane, Chathura Jayan Kankanamge and Tomiji Watabe
Energies 2016, 9(4), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9040282 - 12 Apr 2016
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8581
Abstract
For over three decades the “Pendulor” wave energy device has had a significant influence in this field, triggering several research endeavours. It includes a top-hinged flap propelled by the standing waves produced in a caisson with a back wall on the leeward side. [...] Read more.
For over three decades the “Pendulor” wave energy device has had a significant influence in this field, triggering several research endeavours. It includes a top-hinged flap propelled by the standing waves produced in a caisson with a back wall on the leeward side. However, one of the main disadvantages which impedes its progress is the enormous expense involved in the construction of the custom made typical caisson structure, about a little more than one-quarter of the wave length. In this study, the influence of such design parameters on the performance of the device is investigated, via numerical modelling for a device arranged in an array configuration, for irregular waves. The potential wave theory is applied to derive the frequency-dependent hydrodynamic parameters by making a distinction in the fluid domain into a separate sea side and lee side. The Cummins equation was utilised for the development of the time domain equation of motion while the transfer function estimation methods were used to solve the convolution integrals. Finally, the device was tested numerically for irregular wave conditions for a 50 kW class unit. It was observed that in irregular wave operating conditions, the caisson chamber length could be reduced by 40% of the value estimated for the regular waves. Besides, the device demonstrated around 80% capture efficiency for irregular waves thus allowing provision for avoiding the employment of any active control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling of Wave and Tidal Energy)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop