Experimental Research on Primary and Secondary Conversion Efficiencies in an Oscillating Water Column-Type Wave Energy Converter

Tengen Murakami, Yasutaka Imai, Shuichi Nagata, Manabu Takao and Toshiaki Setoguchi
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Tengen Murakami: Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, 1, Honjo, 840-8502 Saga, Japan
Yasutaka Imai: Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, 1, Honjo, 840-8502 Saga, Japan
Shuichi Nagata: Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, 1, Honjo, 840-8502 Saga, Japan
Manabu Takao: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Matsue National College of Technology, 14-4, Nishiikuma, Matsue, 690-8518 Shimane, Japan
Toshiaki Setoguchi: Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, 1, Honjo, 840-8502 Saga, Japan

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 8, 1-11

Abstract: For the practical application of a fixed oscillating water column (OWC)-type wave energy converter, it is necessary to develop a design method which can consider the characteristics of incident wave motion, the motion of the internal free surface affected in the structure such as a partly submerged wall, the fluctuation of air pressure in an air chamber, and the rotation of the air turbine. On the other hand, the impulse turbine as the secondary conversion device in the OWC unit is expected to achieve high efficiency. In this paper, firstly, the steady air flow tests for a single-impulse turbine were conducted to grasp the characteristics of the turbine without the effect of water waves. Secondly, the 2-dimensional wave tank tests in regular waves for the performance evaluation of the fixed OWC-type wave energy converter with the same impulse turbine were conducted to obtain the data needed to make this design method. As the results, the effects of the air chamber length and the guide vane’s setting angle on the primary and secondary conversion efficiencies are clarified experimentally.

Keywords: wave energy converter; oscillating water column; primary conversion; secondary conversion; impulse turbine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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