IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i3p666-d1581046.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Study on Efficient and Stable Energy Conversion Method of Oscillating Water Column Device Based on Energy Storage Valve Control

Author

Listed:
  • Yunpeng Hai

    (Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
    School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China)

  • Zhenyu Yuan

    (Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

  • Changdong Wei

    (Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

  • Yanjun Liu

    (Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
    School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
    Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

  • Gang Xue

    (Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
    School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
    Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

Abstract

Despite extensive research on the performance of Oscillating Water Columns (OWC) over the years, issues with low energy conversion efficiency and unstable power generation have not been addressed. In this study, a novel OWC energy conversion system is proposed based on the working principle of energy storage valve control. The system utilizes accumulators and valve groups to enhance the stability of energy conversion. The hydrodynamic model of the OWC system and the pneumatic model of the novel power take-off (PTO) system are developed using numerical simulations. Building on this, the impact of the incident wave period, wave height, and air chamber opening ratio on the system’s total hydrodynamic performance are examined. The results from the hydrodynamic analysis are subsequently used as input conditions to evaluate the proposed PTO system’s performance. The results show that the hydrodynamic efficiency of the system presents a tendency to increase and then decrease with the increase in the incident wave period, and an optimal period exists. The air chamber opening ratio has a notable influence on the hydrodynamic characteristics of the OWC system, and the larger system damping could be set to achieve a higher capture efficiency in the low-frequency water environment. The incident wave height has a lesser effect on the hydrodynamic characteristics and the resonant period of the device. The designed novel PTO system can effectively improve the energy conversion stability of the OWC device, the flow volatility through the turbine can be reduced by 53.49%, and the output power volatility can be reduced by 25.46% compared with the conventional PTO system.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunpeng Hai & Zhenyu Yuan & Changdong Wei & Yanjun Liu & Gang Xue, 2025. "Study on Efficient and Stable Energy Conversion Method of Oscillating Water Column Device Based on Energy Storage Valve Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-23, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:3:p:666-:d:1581046
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/3/666/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/3/666/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jayashankar, V. & Anand, S. & Geetha, T. & Santhakumar, S. & Jagadeesh Kumar, V. & Ravindran, M. & Setoguchi, T. & Takao, M. & Toyota, K. & Nagata, S., 2009. "A twin unidirectional impulse turbine topology for OWC based wave energy plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 692-698.
    2. Ning, De-Zhi & Wang, Rong-Quan & Zou, Qing-Ping & Teng, Bin, 2016. "An experimental investigation of hydrodynamics of a fixed OWC Wave Energy Converter," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 636-648.
    3. Cai, Qinlin & Zhu, Songye, 2021. "Applying double-mass pendulum oscillator with tunable ultra-low frequency in wave energy converters," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    4. S. A. Mavrakos & D. N. Konispoliatis, 2012. "Hydrodynamics of a Free Floating Vertical Axisymmetric Oscillating Water Column Device," Journal of Applied Mathematics, Hindawi, vol. 2012, pages 1-27, November.
    5. Elhanafi, Ahmed & Fleming, Alan & Macfarlane, Gregor & Leong, Zhi, 2016. "Numerical energy balance analysis for an onshore oscillating water column–wave energy converter," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(P1), pages 539-557.
    6. Zeng, Yuxin & Shi, Wei & Michailides, Constantine & Ren, Zhengru & Li, Xin, 2022. "Turbulence model effects on the hydrodynamic response of an oscillating water column (OWC) with use of a computational fluid dynamics model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PA).
    7. Kharkeshi, Behrad Alizadeh & Shafaghat, Rouzbeh & Jahanian, Omid & Alamian, Rezvan & Rezanejad, Kourosh, 2022. "Experimental study of an oscillating water column converter to optimize nonlinear PTO using genetic algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    8. Yang, Can & Xu, Tingting & Wan, Chang & Liu, Hengxu & Su, Zuohang & Zhao, Lujun & Chen, Hailong & Johanning, Lars, 2023. "Numerical investigation of a dual cylindrical OWC hybrid system incorporated into a fixed caisson breakwater," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    9. Ning, De-zhi & Zhou, Yu & Mayon, Robert & Johanning, Lars, 2020. "Experimental investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of a cylindrical dual-chamber Oscillating Water Column device," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    10. Liu, Zhen & Xu, Chuanli & Qu, Na & Cui, Ying & Kim, Kilwon, 2020. "Overall performance evaluation of a model-scale OWC wave energy converter," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 1325-1338.
    11. Josset, C. & Clément, A.H., 2007. "A time-domain numerical simulator for oscillating water column wave power plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 1379-1402.
    12. Dezhi Ning & Rongquan Wang & Chongwei Zhang, 2017. "Numerical Simulation of a Dual-Chamber Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converter," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-12, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Dimitrios N. Konispoliatis, 2023. "The Effect of Hydrodynamics on the Power Efficiency of a Toroidal Oscillating Water Column Device," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-29, August.
    2. Mia, Mohammad Rashed & Zhao, Ming & Wu, Helen & Munir, Adnan, 2021. "Numerical investigation of scaling effect in two-dimensional oscillating water column wave energy devices for harvesting wave energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 1381-1397.
    3. Xu, Conghao & He, Yuanyuan & Yao, Yu & Zuo, Jun, 2023. "Experimental and numerical study of a circular OWC with a U-shaped duct for wave energy conversion in long waves: Hydrodynamic characteristics and viscous energy loss," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    4. Xu, Conghao & Zuo, Jun & Yao, Yu & He, Yuanyuan & Li, Jiangxia, 2024. "Characteristics of wave loading and viscous energy loss of a bottom-sitting U-OWC wave energy device: A validated numerical perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    5. Çelik, Anıl & Altunkaynak, Abdüsselam, 2021. "An in depth experimental investigation into effects of incident wave characteristics front wall opening and PTO damping on the water column displacement and air differential pressure in an OWC chamber," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    6. Elhanafi, Ahmed & Fleming, Alan & Macfarlane, Gregor & Leong, Zhi, 2017. "Underwater geometrical impact on the hydrodynamic performance of an offshore oscillating water column–wave energy converter," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 209-231.
    7. Mia, Mohammad Rashed & Zhao, Ming & Wu, Helen & Munir, Adnan, 2022. "Numerical investigation of offshore oscillating water column devices," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 380-393.
    8. Ching-Piao Tsai & Chun-Han Ko & Ying-Chi Chen, 2018. "Investigation on Performance of a Modified Breakwater-Integrated OWC Wave Energy Converter," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, February.
    9. Wang, Chen & Zhang, Yongliang & Deng, Zhengzhi, 2021. "Theoretical analysis on hydrodynamic performance for a dual-chamber oscillating water column device with a pitching front lip-wall," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    10. Zhao, Ming & Palmer, Heath & Dhamelia, Vatsal & Wu, Helen, 2024. "Three-dimensional numerical simulation of a cylindrical oscillating water column (OWC) device placed in a wave flume," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    11. Elhanafi, Ahmed & Macfarlane, Gregor & Ning, Dezhi, 2018. "Hydrodynamic performance of single–chamber and dual–chamber offshore–stationary Oscillating Water Column devices using CFD," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 82-96.
    12. Shahabi-Nejad, Meysam & Nikseresht, Amir H., 2022. "A comprehensive investigation of a hybrid wave energy converter including oscillating water column and horizontal floating cylinder," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    13. Zhao, Xuanlie & Zhang, Lidong & Li, Mingwei & Johanning, Lars, 2021. "Experimental investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of a multi-chamber OWC-breakwater," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    14. Rezanejad, K. & Gadelho, J.F.M. & Guedes Soares, C., 2019. "Hydrodynamic analysis of an oscillating water column wave energy converter in the stepped bottom condition using CFD," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 1241-1259.
    15. Elhanafi, Ahmed & Macfarlane, Gregor & Fleming, Alan & Leong, Zhi, 2017. "Experimental and numerical investigations on the hydrodynamic performance of a floating–moored oscillating water column wave energy converter," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 369-390.
    16. Zhou, Yu & Ning, Dezhi & Liang, Dongfang & Cai, Shuqun, 2021. "Nonlinear hydrodynamic analysis of an offshore oscillating water column wave energy converter," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    17. Xu, Conghao & Huang, Zhenhua, 2018. "A dual-functional wave-power plant for wave-energy extraction and shore protection: A wave-flume study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 963-976.
    18. Fu, Lei & Wang, Rongquan & Kar, Prakash & Ning, Dezhi, 2024. "Experimental and numerical investigation of wave loads on land-based multi-chamber OWC converters," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).
    19. Xueyan Li & Zhen Yu & Hengliang Qu & Moyao Yang & Hongyuan Shi & Zhenhua Zhang, 2023. "Experimental Study on the Aerodynamic Performance and Wave Energy Capture Efficiency of Square and Curved OWC Wave Energy Conversion Devices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    20. Elhanafi, Ahmed & Kim, Chan Joo, 2018. "Experimental and numerical investigation on wave height and power take–off damping effects on the hydrodynamic performance of an offshore–stationary OWC wave energy converter," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 518-528.

    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:18:y:2025:i:3:p:666-:d:1581046. 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.