Midfidelity model verification for a point-absorbing wave energy converter with linear power take-off

Journal Article · Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · International Marine Energy Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.36688/imej.5.67-75· OSTI ID:1877082

Katsidoniotaki, Eirini ^[1]; Yu, Yi-Hsiang ^[2]; Göteman, Malin ^[1]

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1. Uppsala Univ. (Sweden)
2. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

In the preliminary design stage of a wave energy converter (WEC), researchers need fast and reliable simulation tools. High-fidelity numerical models are usually employed to study the wave-structure interaction, but the computational cost is demanding. As an alternative, midfidelity models can provide simulations in the order of real time. In this study, we operate Uppsala University’s WEC in a relatively mild sea state and model it using WEC-Sim. The model is verified based on OpenFOAM simulations. To analyze the ability of the midfidelity model to capture WEC dynamics, we investigate the system separately with 1, 2, and 3 degrees of freedom. We examine the contribution of viscous phenomena, and study both linear and weakly nonlinear solutions provided by WEC-Sim. Our results indicate that the viscous effects can be neglected in heave and surge motion, but not for pitch. We also find that the weakly nonlinear WEC-Sim solution successfully agrees with the computational fluid dynamics, whereas the linear solution could suggest misleading results.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Onassis Foundation; Swedish Research Council; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1877082
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA-5700-83489; MainId:84262; UUID:f3ec6563-b02e-48e4-9286-af026d6482d2; MainAdminID:64896
• Journal Information: International Marine Energy Journal, Journal Name: International Marine Energy Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 5; ISSN 2631-5548
• Publisher: European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER
CFD
WEC-Sim
hydrodynamic analysis
numerical simulations
offshore renewables
point-absorber
verification
wave energy
wave-structure interaction