Modelling of a Flow-Induced Oscillation, Two-Cylinder, Hydrokinetic Energy Converter Based on Experimental Data

Yanfang Lv, Liping Sun, Michael M. Bernitsas, Mengjie Jiang and Hai Sun
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Yanfang Lv: College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
Liping Sun: College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
Michael M. Bernitsas: Marine Renewable Energy Laboratory, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
Mengjie Jiang: College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
Hai Sun: Marine Renewable Energy Laboratory, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-24

Abstract: The VIVACE Converter consists of cylindrical oscillators in tandem subjected to transverse flow-induced oscillations (FIOs) that can be improved by varying the system parameters for a given in-flow velocity: damping, stiffness, and in-flow center-to-center spacing. Compared to a single isolated cylinder, tandem cylinders can harness more hydrokinetic energy due to synergy in FIO. Experimental and numerical methods have been utilized to analyze the FIO and energy harnessing of VIVACE. A surrogate-based model of two tandem cylinders is developed to predict the power harvesting and corresponding efficiency by introducing a backpropagation neural network. It is then utilized to reduce excessive experimental or computational testing. The effects of spacing, damping, and stiffness on harvested power and efficiency of the established prediction-model are analyzed. At each selected flow velocity, optimization results of power harvesting using the prediction-model are calculated under different combinations of damping and stiffness. The main conclusions are: (1) The surrogate model, built on extensive experimental data for tandem cylinders, can predict the cylinder oscillatory response accurately. (2) Increasing the damping ratio range from 0–0.24 to 0–0.30 is beneficial for improving power efficiency, but has no significant effect on power harvesting. (3) In galloping, a spacing ratio of 1.57 has the highest optimal harnessed power and efficiency compared with other spacing values. (4) Two tandem cylinders can harness 2.01–4.67 times the optimal power of an isolated cylinder. In addition, the former can achieve 1.46–4.01 times the efficiency of the latter. (5) The surrogate model is an efficient predictive tool defining parameters of the Converter for improved energy acquisition.

Keywords: modeling; flow-induced oscillation; vortex-induced oscillation; galloping; backpropagation neural network; two tandem cylinders; harnessed power and efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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