Dynamic Model of Dielectric Elastomer Diaphragm Generators for Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converters

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gastone Pietro Rosati Papini ◽  
Rocco Vertechy ◽  
Marco Fontana
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Fast Analysis ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Highly Nonlinear ◽  
Energy Converters

Dielectric Elastomers (DEs) are incompressible rubber-like solids whose electrical and structural responses are highly nonlinear and strongly coupled. Thanks to their coupled electro-mechanical response, intrinsic lightness, easy-manufacturability and low-cost, DEs are perfectly suited for the development of novel solid-state polymeric energy conversion units with capacitive nature and high-voltage operation, which are more resilient, lightweight, integrated, economic and disposable than traditional generators based on conventional electromagnetic technology. Inflated Circular Diaphragm DE Generators (ICD-DEGs) are a special embodiment of polymeric transducer which can be used to convert pneumatic energy into usable electricity. Potential application of ICD-DEGs is as Power Take-Off (PTO) system for wave energy converters based on the Oscillating Water Column (OWC) principle. This paper presents a reduced, yet accurate, dynamic model for ICD-DEGs which features one degree of freedom and which accounts for DE visco-elasticity. The model is computationally simple and can be easily integrated into existing wave-to-wire models of OWCs to be used for fast analysis and real-time applications. For demonstration purposes, integration of the considered ICD-DEG model with a lumped-parameter hydrodynamic model of a realistic OWC is also presented along with a simulation case study.

Nonlinear 2D analysis of the efficiency of fixed Oscillating Water Column wave energy converters

2014 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 255-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyao Luo ◽  
Jean-Roch Nader ◽  
Paul Cooper ◽  
Song-Ping Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

Scale and Configuration Effects of an Airchamber on PTO of Oscillating Water Column Type Wave Energy Converters

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Ikoma ◽  
Shota Hirai ◽  
Yasuhiro Aida ◽  
Koichi Masuda
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Air Pressure ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Linear Potential ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Air Chamber ◽  
Energy Converters

Abstract Wave energy converters (WECs) have been extensively researched. The behaviour of the oscillating water column (OWC) in OWC WECs is extremely complex due to the interaction of waves, air, and turbines. Several problems must be overcome before such WECs can be put to practical use. One problem is that the effect of the difference in scale between a small-scale experimental model and a full-scale model is unclear. In this study, several OWC models with different scales and geometries were used in forced oscillation tests. The wave tank was 7.0 m wide, 24.0 m long, and 1.0 m deep. In the static water experiment, we measured the air pressure and water surface fluctuations in an air chamber. For the experiments, models with a box shape with an open bottom, a manifold shape with an open bottom, and a box shape with a front opening, respectively, were fabricated. Furthermore, 1/1, 1/2, and 1/4 scale models were fabricated for each shape to investigate the effects of scale and shape on the air chamber characteristics. Numerical calculations were carried out by applying linear potential theory and the results were compared with the experimental values. The results confirmed that the air chamber shape and scale affect the air pressure fluctuation and water surface fluctuation inside the OWC system.

Modelling extreme wave conditions for survivability tests of wave energy converters: CFD versus model tests

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Gubesch ◽  
Nagi Abdussamie ◽  
Irene Penesis ◽  
Christopher Chin ◽  
Chien Ming Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Offshore Structures ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Experimental Sample ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Numerical Generation ◽  
Energy Converters

<p>This study investigates the experimental and numerical generation of realistic extreme waves in the Model Test Basin (MTB) at the Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania, in order to test the survivability of offshore structures such as wave energy converters. The sea state and maximum wave height considered were collected during Tropical Cyclone Oma as it tracked down the Queensland Coast of Australia in February 2019. Upon successful generation of a repeatable experimental sample, the NewWave theory was used to regenerate the MTB surface elevation in a STAR-CCM+ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical wave tank. The experimental surface elevation data was analysed with a fast Fourier transform to obtain the wave component amplitudes (a<sub>n</sub>) and phase angles (ε<sub>n</sub>).  These parameters were then used to generate a polychromatic wave in CFD. The 2D CFD simulations were extended to a 3D simulation that included an oscillating water column wave energy converter as per the experimental conditions. Results indicate that experimental focused wave groups can be replicated in CFD software with a similarity of 0.9407 for 2D simulations.  However, by applying an amplification factor to the crest amplitude of the focussed waves, one may further obtain improved accuracy in both 2D and 3D simulations. Further mesh resolution studies surrounding the oscillating water column may improve the accuracy of 3D fluid structure interaction simulations when investigating survivability.</p>

Effects of Scale and Configuration of Air Chamber of OWC Type WECs on Air Chamber Characteristics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Ikoma ◽  
Shota Hirai ◽  
Yasuhiro Aida ◽  
Koichi Masuda ◽  
Hiroaki Eto
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Calculation ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Air Chamber ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Energy Converters

Abstract This paper describes scale effects and influence of configurations of oscillating water column type wave energy converters from model tests and theoretical calculations. Many researches regarding wave energy converters (WECs) have been conducted. The behavior of an oscillating water column of an OWC type WEC is complicated because of including wave-air-turbine interaction, and thus several issues remain. One of the issues is that influence of difference in scale between small scale experimental models and full scale models is unclear. It is important to understand its characteristics accurately to improve design technologies for such as complicated systems. In this study, we carried out forced oscillation tests using multiple scales and shapes of OWC models in still water, and measured the pressure inside the air chamber and the internal mean water level with a multi-line wave probe. The experimental models used have a box like air chamber or manifold type air chamber, and which scales were 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4.The difference of the two air chambers is an orifice or a duct to be inlet-outlet of air. As a result, the difference in scale and configuration of the air chamber affected the characteristics of the air chamber. In addition, as a result of numerical calculation using the linear potential theory and comparison with experimental results, the experimental results could be reproduced by numerical calculation. Besides, we could discuss the effects and the influences of the air chamber basically.

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