A Numerical Investigation of the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Pitch-Type Wave Energy Converter Using Weakly and Fully Nonlinear Models

Sunny Kumar Poguluri, Dongeun Kim and Yoon Hyeok Bae ()
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Sunny Kumar Poguluri: Department of Mechanical and System Design Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
Dongeun Kim: Multidisciplinary Graduate School Program for Wind Energy, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
Yoon Hyeok Bae: Department of Mechanical and System Design Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-28

Abstract: In this study, the performance of a wave energy converter (WEC) rotor under regular and irregular wave conditions was investigated using 3D nonlinear numerical models. Factors such as the power take-off (PTO) load torque, wave periods, spacing of multiple WEC rotors, and wave steepness were analyzed. Two models were employed: a weakly nonlinear model formulated by incorporating the nonlinear restoring moment and Coulomb-type PTO load torque based on the potential flow theory, and a fully nonlinear model based on computational fluid dynamics. The results show that the average power estimated by both numerical models is consistent, with a wave steepness of 0.03 for the range of one-way and two-way PTO load torques, except for the deviations observed in the long range of the one-way PTO load torque. Furthermore, the average power of the WEC rotor under the applied PTO load torque exhibits a quadratic dependency, regardless of the wave steepness. In addition, adopting a one-way PTO load torque was more efficient than adopting a two-way PTO load torque. Therefore, the fully nonlinear model demonstrated its ability to handle a high degree of nonlinearity, surpassing the limitations of the weakly nonlinear model, which was limited to moderate wave steepness.

Keywords: WEC rotor; nonlinear restoring moment; coulomb type PTO load torque (one-way and two-way); potential flow theory; computational fluid dynamics; absorbed 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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