A Comparison Study of a Generic Coupling Methodology for Modeling Wake Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays

Tim Verbrugghe, Vicky Stratigaki, Peter Troch, Raphael Rabussier and Andreas Kortenhaus
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Tim Verbrugghe: Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Vicky Stratigaki: Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Peter Troch: Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Raphael Rabussier: Department of General Engineering, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Écully, France
Andreas Kortenhaus: Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 904, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-25

Abstract: Wave Energy Converters (WECs) need to be deployed in large numbers in an array layout in order to have a significant power production. Each WEC has an impact on the incoming wave field, by diffracting, reflecting and radiating waves. Simulating the wave transformations within and around a WEC array is complex; it is difficult, or in some cases impossible, to simulate both these near-field and far-field wake effects using a single numerical model, in a time- and cost-efficient way in terms of computational time and effort. Within this research, a generic coupling methodology is developed to model both near-field and far-field wake effects caused by floating (e.g., WECs, platforms) or fixed offshore structures. The methodology is based on the coupling of a wave-structure interaction solver (Nemoh) and a wave propagation model. In this paper, this methodology is applied to two wave propagation models (OceanWave3D and MILDwave), which are compared to each other in a wide spectrum of tests. Additionally, the Nemoh-OceanWave3D model is validated by comparing it to experimental wave basin data. The methodology proves to be a reliable instrument to model wake effects of WEC arrays; results demonstrate a high degree of agreement between the numerical simulations with relative errors lower than 5 % and to a lesser extent for the experimental data, where errors range from 4 % to 17 % .

Keywords: numerical modeling; coupling; wave energy; wave propagation; wave-structure interaction; wave basin experiments; WECwakes project (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: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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