Analysing the near-field effects and the power production of near-shore WEC array using a new wave-to-wire model
Balitsky, P.; Quartier, N.; Stratigaki, V.; Fernandez, G.V.; Vasarmidis, P.; Troch, P. (2019). Analysing the near-field effects and the power production of near-shore WEC array using a new wave-to-wire model. Water 11(6): 1137. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w11061137
In: Water. MDPI: Basel. e-ISSN 2073-4441, more
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| Keyword |
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| Author keywords |
wave-to-wire; WEC array; OSWEC; Power Take-off (PTO) system; MILDwave |
| Abstract |
In this study, a series of modules is integrated into a wave-to-wire (W2W) model that links a Boundary Element Method (BEM) solver to a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) motion solver which are in turn coupled to a wave propagation model. The hydrodynamics of the WECs are resolved in the wave structure interaction solver NEMOH, the Power Take-off (PTO) is simulated in the WEC simulation tool WEC-Sim, and the resulting perturbed wave field is coupled to the mild-slope propagation model MILDwave. The W2W model is run for verified for a realistic wave energy project consisting of a WEC farm composed of 10 5-WEC arrays of Oscillating Surging Wave Energy Converters (OSWECs). The investigated WEC farm is modelled for a real wave climate and a sloping bathymetry based on a proposed OSWEC array project off the coast of Bretagne, France. Each WEC array is arranged in a power-maximizing 2-row configuration that also minimizes the inter-array separation distance dx and dy and the arrays are located in a staggered energy maximizing configuration that also decreases the along-shore WEC farm extent. The WEC farm power output and the near and far-field effects are simulated for irregular waves with various significant wave heights wave peak periods and mean wave incidence directions β based on the modelled site wave climatology. The PTO system of each WEC in each farm is modelled as a closed-circuit hydraulic PTO system optimized for each set of incident wave conditions, mimicking the proposed site technology, namely the WaveRoller® OSWEC developed by AW Energy Ltd. The investigation in this study provides a proof of concept of the proposed W2W model in investigating potential commercial WEC projects. |
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