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Design Selection and Geometry in OWC Wave Energy Converters for Performance

Author

Listed:
  • Iván López

    (Departamento de Enxeñaría Agroforestal, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, EPSE, Rúa Benigno Ledo s/n, 27002 Lugo, Spain)

  • Rodrigo Carballo

    (Departamento de Enxeñaría Agroforestal, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, EPSE, Rúa Benigno Ledo s/n, 27002 Lugo, Spain)

  • David Mateo Fouz

    (Departamento de Enxeñaría Agroforestal, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, EPSE, Rúa Benigno Ledo s/n, 27002 Lugo, Spain)

  • Gregorio Iglesias

    (MaREI, Environmental Research Institute and School of Engineering, University College Cork, P43 C573 Cork, Ireland
    School of Engineering, University of Plymouth, Marine Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

Abstract

Although oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converters are arguably one of the most studied technologies, it is not clear which chamber geometry, among all of the available alternatives, would provide the best performance at a site of interest. In this work, a numerical model based on the Navier-Stokes equations for two compressible fluids, using a volume-of-fluid interface-capturing approach, is implemented to determine the best performing OWC geometry in a case study off the Port of Vigo (NW Spain). Four general shapes of OWC are analyzed: classic, stepped-bottom, U-shaped and L-shaped, and geometrical variants are investigated. In total, 18 chamber geometries are studied, considering the same turbine geometry in all of them. It was found that the U-shaped and L-shaped designs are the most easily tuned to resonate at a period of interest. Of these two, the L-shaped performs better. The best performance is achieved for an L-shaped OWC design with a shallow entrance, a high horizontal chamber duct and a wide vertical duct, for which a maximum capture-width ratio of 71.6% was achieved.

Suggested Citation

  • Iván López & Rodrigo Carballo & David Mateo Fouz & Gregorio Iglesias, 2021. "Design Selection and Geometry in OWC Wave Energy Converters for Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:6:p:1707-:d:520166
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    References listed on IDEAS

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