• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.168-174
• /
• 2022

In a wave power generation system, the overtopping system is known as an overtopping wave energy converter (OWEC). The performance of an OWEC is affected by wave characteristics such as height and period because its power generation system is sensitive to those characteristics; these, as well as wave direction, depend on the sea. As these characteristics vary, it is hard for the OWEC to produce power in a stable manner. Therefore, it is necessary to find an appropriate shape for an OWEC, according to the characteristics of the sea it is in. This research verified the effect of the design of the OWEC ramp on the hydraulic efficiency using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) particle method. A total of 10 models were designed and used in simulations performed by selecting the design parameters of the ramp and changing the attack angle based on those parameters. The hydraulic efficiency was calculated based on the rate of discharged water obtained from the analysis result. The effect of each variable on the overtopping performance according to the shape of the ramp was then confirmed. In this study, we present suggestions for determining the direction for an appropriately shaped OWEC ramp, based on a specific sea area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.992-1001
• /
• 2023

OWEC (Overtopping Wave Energy Converter) is a wave power generation system using the wave overtopping. The performance and safety of the OWEC are affected by wave characteristics, such as wave height, period. To mitigate this issue, optimal OWEC designs based on wave characteristics must be investigated. In this study, the environmental conditions along the Ulleungdo coast were used. The hydraulic efficiency of the OWEC was calculated using SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) by comparing 4 models that changed the substructure. As a result, it was possible to change the substructure. Through design optimization, a new truss-type structure, which is a substructure capable of carrying the design load, was proposed. Through a case study using member diameter and thickness as design variables, structural safety was secured under allowable stress conditions. Considering wave load, the natural frequency of the proposed structure was compared with the wave period of the relevant sea area. Harmonic response analysis was performed using wave with a 1-year return period as the load. The proposed substructure had a reduced response magnitude at the same exciting force, and achieved weight reduction of more than 32%.