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CFD Simulations of Floating Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter Arrays Subjected to Regular Waves

Author

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  • Brecht Devolder

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
    Construction Technology Cluster, Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Bruges, Spoorwegstraat 12, 8200 Bruges, Belgium)

  • Vasiliki Stratigaki

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, 9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Peter Troch

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, 9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Pieter Rauwoens

    (Construction Technology Cluster, Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Bruges, Spoorwegstraat 12, 8200 Bruges, Belgium)

Abstract

In this paper we use the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) toolbox OpenFOAM to perform numerical simulations of multiple floating point absorber wave energy converters (WECs) arranged in a geometrical array configuration inside a numerical wave tank (NWT). The two-phase Navier-Stokes fluid solver is coupled with a motion solver to simulate the hydrodynamic flow field around the WECs and the wave-induced rigid body heave motion of each WEC within the array. In this study, the numerical simulations of a single WEC unit are extended to multiple WECs and the complexity of modelling individual floating objects close to each other in an array layout is tackled. The NWT is validated for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations by using experimental measurements for an array of two, five and up to nine heaving WECs subjected to regular waves. The validation is achieved by using mathematical models to include frictional forces observed during the experimental tests. For all the simulations presented, a good agreement is found between the numerical and the experimental results for the WECs’ heave motions, the surge forces on the WECs and the perturbed wave field around the WECs. As a result, our coupled CFD–motion solver proves to be a suitable and accurate toolbox for the study of fluid-structure interaction problems of WEC arrays.

Suggested Citation

  • Brecht Devolder & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch & Pieter Rauwoens, 2018. "CFD Simulations of Floating Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter Arrays Subjected to Regular Waves," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:3:p:641-:d:136144
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Agamloh, Emmanuel B. & Wallace, Alan K. & von Jouanne, Annette, 2008. "Application of fluid–structure interaction simulation of an ocean wave energy extraction device," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 748-757.
    2. Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch & Tim Stallard & David Forehand & Jens Peter Kofoed & Matt Folley & Michel Benoit & Aurélien Babarit & Jens Kirkegaard, 2014. "Wave Basin Experiments with Large Wave Energy Converter Arrays to Study Interactions between the Converters and Effects on Other Users in the Sea and the Coastal Area," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-34, February.
    3. Ransley, E.J. & Greaves, D. & Raby, A. & Simmonds, D. & Hann, M., 2017. "Survivability of wave energy converters using CFD," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 235-247.
    4. Ransley, E.J. & Greaves, D.M. & Raby, A. & Simmonds, D. & Jakobsen, M.M. & Kramer, M., 2017. "RANS-VOF modelling of the Wavestar point absorber," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 49-65.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Windt & Josh Davidson & John V. Ringwood, 2020. "Investigation of Turbulence Modeling for Point-Absorber-Type Wave Energy Converters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Faedo, Nicolás & Peña-Sanchez, Yerai & Pasta, Edoardo & Papini, Guglielmo & Mosquera, Facundo D. & Ferri, Francesco, 2023. "SWELL: An open-access experimental dataset for arrays of wave energy conversion systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 699-716.
    3. Philip Balitsky & Nicolas Quartier & Gael Verao Fernandez & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2018. "Analyzing the Near-Field Effects and the Power Production of an Array of Heaving Cylindrical WECs and OSWECs Using a Coupled Hydrodynamic-PTO Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-32, December.
    4. Ma, Yong & Zhang, Aiming & Yang, Lele & Li, Hao & Zhai, Zhenfeng & Zhou, Heng, 2020. "Motion simulation and performance analysis of two-body floating point absorber wave energy converter," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 353-367.
    5. Hu, Jianjian & Zhou, Binzhen & Vogel, Christopher & Liu, Pin & Willden, Richard & Sun, Ke & Zang, Jun & Geng, Jing & Jin, Peng & Cui, Lin & Jiang, Bo & Collu, Maurizio, 2020. "Optimal design and performance analysis of a hybrid system combing a floating wind platform and wave energy converters," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    6. Yadong Wen & Weijun Wang & Hua Liu & Longbo Mao & Hongju Mi & Wenqiang Wang & Guoping Zhang, 2018. "A Shape Optimization Method of a Specified Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter for the South China Sea," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.
    7. Gael Verao Fernández & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2019. "Irregular Wave Validation of a Coupling Methodology for Numerical Modelling of Near and Far Field Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, February.
    8. Sheng, Wanan, 2019. "Wave energy conversion and hydrodynamics modelling technologies: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 482-498.
    9. Gael Verao Fernandez & Philip Balitsky & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2018. "Coupling Methodology for Studying the Far Field Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays over a Varying Bathymetry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-24, October.
    10. Morten Bech Kramer & Jacob Andersen & Sarah Thomas & Flemming Buus Bendixen & Harry Bingham & Robert Read & Nikolaj Holk & Edward Ransley & Scott Brown & Yi-Hsiang Yu & Thanh Toan Tran & Josh Davidson, 2021. "Highly Accurate Experimental Heave Decay Tests with a Floating Sphere: A Public Benchmark Dataset for Model Validation of Fluid–Structure Interaction," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-36, January.
    11. Stratigaki, Vasiliki & Troch, Peter & Forehand, David, 2019. "A fundamental coupling methodology for modeling near-field and far-field wave effects of floating structures and wave energy devices," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1608-1627.

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