Energy Flux Method for Wave Energy Converters

Gabriel Thomas Scarlett, James Cameron McNatt, Ólan Henry and Abel Arredondo-Galeana ()
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Gabriel Thomas Scarlett: Mocean Energy Ltd., Murchison House, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
James Cameron McNatt: Mocean Energy Ltd., Murchison House, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
Abel Arredondo-Galeana: Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Marine Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0LZ, UK

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: Hydrodynamic tools reveal information as to the behaviour of a device in the presence of waves but provide little information on how to improve or optimise the device. With no recent work on the transfer of power (energy flux) from a wave field through the body surface of a wave energy converter (WEC), we introduce the energy flux method to map the flow of power. The method is used to develop an open-source tool to visualise the energy flux density on a WEC body surface. This energy flux surface can also be used to compute the total power capture by integrating over the surface. We apply the tool to three WEC classes: a heaving cylinder, a twin-hulled hinged barge, and pitching surge devices. Using the flux surfaces, we investigate power efficiency in terms of power absorbed to power radiated. We visualise the hydrodynamic consequence of sub-optimal damping. Then, for two pitching surge devices with similar resonant peaks, we reveal why one device has a reduced power performance in a wave spectrum compared to the other. The results show the effectiveness of the energy flux method to predict power capture compared to motion-based methods and highlight the importance of assessing the flux of energy in WECs subjected to different damping strategies. Importantly, the tool can be adopted for a wide range of applications, from geometry optimisation and hydrodynamic efficiency assessment to structural design.

Keywords: wave energy flux; wave energy converter; wave power (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: 2024
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