IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v11y2018i12p3489-d190552.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analyzing the Near-Field Effects and the Power Production of an Array of Heaving Cylindrical WECs and OSWECs Using a Coupled Hydrodynamic-PTO Model

Author

Listed:
  • Philip Balitsky

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 60, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Nicolas Quartier

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 60, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Gael Verao Fernandez

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 60, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Vasiliki Stratigaki

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 60, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Peter Troch

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 60, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

The Power Take-Off (PTO) system is the key component of a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) that distinguishes it from a simple floating body because the uptake of the energy by the PTO system modifies the wave field surrounding the WEC. Consequently, the choice of a proper PTO model of a WEC is a key factor in the accuracy of a numerical model that serves to validate the economic impact of a wave energy project. Simultaneously, the given numerical model needs to simulate many WEC units operating in close proximity in a WEC farm, as such conglomerations are seen by the wave energy industry as the path to economic viability. A balance must therefore be struck between an accurate PTO model and the numerical cost of running it for various WEC farm configurations to test the viability of any given WEC farm project. Because hydrodynamic interaction between the WECs in a farm modifies the incoming wave field, both the power output of a WEC farm and the surface elevations in the ‘near field’ area will be affected. For certain types of WECs, namely heaving cylindrical WECs, the PTO system strongly modifies the motion of the WECs. Consequently, the choice of a PTO system affects both the power production and the surface elevations in the ‘near field’ of a WEC farm. In this paper, we investigate the effect of a PTO system for a small wave farm that we term ‘WEC array’ of 5 WECs of two types: a heaving cylindrical WEC and an Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter (OSWEC). These WECs are positioned in a staggered array configuration designed to extract the maximum power from the incident waves. The PTO system is modelled in WEC-Sim, a purpose-built WEC dynamics simulator. The PTO system is coupled to the open-source wave structure interaction solver NEMOH to calculate the average wave field η in the ‘near-field’. Using a WEC-specific novel PTO system model, the effect of a hydraulic PTO system on the WEC array power production and the near-field is compared to that of a linear PTO system. Results are given for a series of regular wave conditions for a single WEC and subsequently extended to a 5-WEC array. We demonstrate the quantitative and qualitative differences in the power and the ‘near-field’ effects between a 5-heaving cylindrical WEC array and a 5-OSWEC array. Furthermore, we show that modeling a hydraulic PTO system as a linear PTO system in the case of a heaving cylindrical WEC leads to considerable inaccuracies in the calculation of average absorbed power, but not in the near-field surface elevations. Yet, in the case of an OSWEC, a hydraulic PTO system cannot be reduced to a linear PTO coefficient without introducing substantial inaccuracies into both the array power output and the near-field effects. We discuss the implications of our results compared to previous research on WEC arrays which used simplified linear coefficients as a proxy for PTO systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Balitsky & Nicolas Quartier & Gael Verao Fernandez & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2018. "Analyzing the Near-Field Effects and the Power Production of an Array of Heaving Cylindrical WECs and OSWECs Using a Coupled Hydrodynamic-PTO Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-32, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:12:p:3489-:d:190552
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/12/3489/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/12/3489/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shadman, Milad & Estefen, Segen F. & Rodriguez, Claudio A. & Nogueira, Izabel C.M., 2018. "A geometrical optimization method applied to a heaving point absorber wave energy converter," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 533-546.
    2. Penalba, Markel & Davidson, Josh & Windt, Christian & Ringwood, John V., 2018. "A high-fidelity wave-to-wire simulation platform for wave energy converters: Coupled numerical wave tank and power take-off models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 655-669.
    3. Babarit, A., 2013. "On the park effect in arrays of oscillating wave energy converters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 68-78.
    4. Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch & Tim Stallard & David Forehand & Jens Peter Kofoed & Matt Folley & Michel Benoit & Aurélien Babarit & Jens Kirkegaard, 2014. "Wave Basin Experiments with Large Wave Energy Converter Arrays to Study Interactions between the Converters and Effects on Other Users in the Sea and the Coastal Area," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-34, February.
    5. Pau Mercadé Ruiz & Francesco Ferri & Jens Peter Kofoed, 2017. "Experimental Validation of a Wave Energy Converter Array Hydrodynamics Tool," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-20, January.
    6. Brecht Devolder & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch & Pieter Rauwoens, 2018. "CFD Simulations of Floating Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter Arrays Subjected to Regular Waves," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-23, March.
    7. Pau Mercadé Ruiz & Vincenzo Nava & Mathew B. R. Topper & Pablo Ruiz Minguela & Francesco Ferri & Jens Peter Kofoed, 2017. "Layout Optimisation of Wave Energy Converter Arrays," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, August.
    8. Tim Verbrugghe & Vicky Stratigaki & Peter Troch & Raphael Rabussier & Andreas Kortenhaus, 2017. "A Comparison Study of a Generic Coupling Methodology for Modeling Wake Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-25, October.
    9. Philip Balitsky & Gael Verao Fernandez & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2018. "Assessment of the Power Output of a Two-Array Clustered WEC Farm Using a BEM Solver Coupling and a Wave-Propagation Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Quartier, Nicolas & Vervaet, Timothy & Fernandez, Gael Verao & Domínguez, José M. & Crespo, Alejandro J.C. & Stratigaki, Vasiliki & Troch, Peter, 2024. "High-fidelity numerical modelling of a two-WEC array with accurate implementation of the PTO system and control strategy using DualSPHysics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    2. Marios Charilaos Sousounis & Jonathan Shek, 2019. "Wave-to-Wire Power Maximization Control for All-Electric Wave Energy Converters with Non-Ideal Power Take-Off," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-27, July.
    3. Markos Bonovas & Kostas Belibassakis & Eugen Rusu, 2019. "Multi-DOF WEC Performance in Variable Bathymetry Regions Using a Hybrid 3D BEM and Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Rusu, Liliana, 2019. "Evaluation of the near future wave energy resources in the Black Sea under two climate scenarios," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 137-146.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. He, Guanghua & Luan, Zhengxiao & Zhang, Wei & He, Runhua & Liu, Chaogang & Yang, Kaibo & Yang, Changhao & Jing, Penglin & Zhang, Zhigang, 2023. "Review on research approaches for multi-point absorber wave energy converters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    2. Philip Balitsky & Gael Verao Fernandez & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2018. "Assessment of the Power Output of a Two-Array Clustered WEC Farm Using a BEM Solver Coupling and a Wave-Propagation Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Gael Verao Fernández & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2019. "Irregular Wave Validation of a Coupling Methodology for Numerical Modelling of Near and Far Field Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, February.
    4. Gael Verao Fernandez & Philip Balitsky & Vasiliki Stratigaki & Peter Troch, 2018. "Coupling Methodology for Studying the Far Field Effects of Wave Energy Converter Arrays over a Varying Bathymetry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-24, October.
    5. Hong-Wei Fang & Yu-Zhu Feng & Guo-Ping Li, 2018. "Optimization of Wave Energy Converter Arrays by an Improved Differential Evolution Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Rijnsdorp, Dirk P. & Hansen, Jeff E. & Lowe, Ryan J., 2020. "Understanding coastal impacts by nearshore wave farms using a phase-resolving wave model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 637-648.
    7. Faedo, Nicolás & Peña-Sanchez, Yerai & Pasta, Edoardo & Papini, Guglielmo & Mosquera, Facundo D. & Ferri, Francesco, 2023. "SWELL: An open-access experimental dataset for arrays of wave energy conversion systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 699-716.
    8. Han, Meng & Cao, Feifei & Shi, Hongda & Zhu, Kai & Dong, Xiaochen & Li, Demin, 2023. "Layout optimisation of the two-body heaving wave energy converter array," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 410-431.
    9. Loukogeorgaki, Eva & Michailides, Constantine & Lavidas, George & Chatjigeorgiou, Ioannis K., 2021. "Layout optimization of heaving Wave Energy Converters linear arrays in front of a vertical wall," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 189-203.
    10. Guo, Bingyong & Ringwood, John V., 2021. "Geometric optimisation of wave energy conversion devices: A survey," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    11. Xiaohui Zeng & Qi Wang & Yuanshun Kang & Fajun Yu, 2022. "A Novel Type of Wave Energy Converter with Five Degrees of Freedom and Preliminary Investigations on Power-Generating Capacity," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Correia da Fonseca, F.X. & Gomes, R.P.F. & Henriques, J.C.C. & Gato, L.M.C. & Falcão, A.F.O., 2016. "Model testing of an oscillating water column spar-buoy wave energy converter isolated and in array: Motions and mooring forces," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1207-1218.
    13. Bonovas, Markos I. & Anagnostopoulos, Ioannis S., 2020. "Modelling of operation and optimum design of a wave power take-off system with energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 502-514.
    14. Bozzi, Silvia & Giassi, Marianna & Moreno Miquel, Adrià & Antonini, Alessandro & Bizzozero, Federica & Gruosso, Giambattista & Archetti, Renata & Passoni, Giuseppe, 2017. "Wave energy farm design in real wave climates: the Italian offshore," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 378-389.
    15. Stratigaki, Vasiliki & Troch, Peter & Forehand, David, 2019. "A fundamental coupling methodology for modeling near-field and far-field wave effects of floating structures and wave energy devices," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1608-1627.
    16. Heath, Jason E. & Jensen, Richard P. & Weller, Sam D. & Hardwick, Jon & Roberts, Jesse D. & Johanning, Lars, 2017. "Applicability of geotechnical approaches and constitutive models for foundation analysis of marine renewable energy arrays," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 191-204.
    17. Gomes, Rui P.F. & Gato, Luís M.C. & Henriques, João C.C. & Portillo, Juan C.C. & Howey, Ben D. & Collins, Keri M. & Hann, Martyn R. & Greaves, Deborah M., 2020. "Compact floating wave energy converters arrays: Mooring loads and survivability through scale physical modelling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    18. López-Ruiz, Alejandro & Bergillos, Rafael J. & Lira-Loarca, Andrea & Ortega-Sánchez, Miguel, 2018. "A methodology for the long-term simulation and uncertainty analysis of the operational lifetime performance of wave energy converter arrays," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 126-135.
    19. Garcia-Teruel, A. & Forehand, D.I.M., 2021. "A review of geometry optimisation of wave energy converters," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    20. Yadong Wen & Weijun Wang & Hua Liu & Longbo Mao & Hongju Mi & Wenqiang Wang & Guoping Zhang, 2018. "A Shape Optimization Method of a Specified Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter for the South China Sea," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:12:p:3489-:d:190552. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.