Partitioning the Extreme Wave Spectrum of Hurricane Wilma to Improve the Design of Wave Energy Converters

Analysis of the omnidirectional energy spectrum from storm wave measurements provides valuable parameters for understanding the specific local conditions that wave energy converters would have to withstand. Partitioning the energy spectrum also helps to identify wave groups with low directional spread propagating in the direction of the dominant waves of the more energetic wave systems. This paper analyzes the partition of the Hurricane Wilma energy spectrum using single-point measurements obtained in shallow water. Hurricane Wilma generated simultaneous crossing wave systems with different significant wave heights and steepnesses. The maximum estimated significant height among the wave groups was 5.5 m. The corresponding height of the partitions and the omnidirectional energy spectrum were 11.0 m (swell) and 12 m, respectively. While linear superposition was the main mechanism responsible for driving the wave groups, at times, modulational instability produced nonlinear wave groups. This is a new finding, since modulational instability is usually considered an open-sea phenomenon. For shorelines with multidirectional wave groups, submerged and semi-submerged devices should be designed to account for changes in wave direction and wave height, although under extreme hurricane conditions, energy harvesting might have to be sacrificed for the benefit of device integrity.