Hydrodynamic efficiency versus structural longevity of a fixed OWC wave energy converter

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Jalón, María L. and Brennan, Feargal (2020) Hydrodynamic efficiency versus structural longevity of a fixed OWC wave energy converter. Ocean Engineering, 206. 107260. ISSN 0029-8018 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107260)

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Abstract

This paper explores a trade-off between structural longevity and energetic response for wave energy converters in irregular waves. To this end, a physics-based simulation methodology is developed which integrates both the hydrodynamic efficiency calculation and fatigue damage assessment. This methodology is embedded into a parameterised computational model by coupling analytical models for the simulation of both the pressure field and the hydrodynamic efficiency for a particular incident sea state, and a numerical model for the structural analysis of the system. The methodology is general but for this paper it is specialised for an idealised power-optimal bottom-fixed oscillating water column device. As particular case studies, a sea-state adaptive power-optimal configuration and a fixed power-optimal configuration were investigated and compared. The results reveal that the sea-state adaptive configuration not only provides the optimal hydrodynamic efficiency, but also leads to less accumulated fatigue damage.

ORCID iDs

Jalón, María L. and Brennan, Feargal ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0952-6167;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)