• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
• /
• 2018.11a
• /
• pp.59-60
• /
• 2018

The oscillating-water-column wave energy converter represents the complex physical characteristics associated with the water column, turbines, generator, and power converter. This study focuses on the derivation of the physical relationship between the water column and turbine based on the 1/ 4 scale model test. The aerodynamic characteristics of the OWC ducted turbine were simulated using an orifice. The turbine effect, a key element in the OWC-chamber performance evaluation, can be represented by the flow rate and pressure drop through the orifice. The turbine effect of OWC-WEC was confirmed to have a non-linear relationship from the measured flow rate and pressure drop in the model test.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.242-251
• /
• 2020

In this study, the extraction efficiency and reflection coefficient by a two-dimensional OWC (Oscillating Water Column) WEC (wave energy converter) installed in front of a seawall was investigated for regular/irregular waves. The matched eigenfunction expansion method (MEEM) based on the linear potential theory was applied as an analytical tool. The diffraction problem by the incident wave in the open-chamber and the radiation problem by the oscillating pressure in the closed-chamber were solved to obtain the volume fluxes at the internal free-surface. Applying the volume fluxes into the continuity equation for the airflow in a chamber, we got the oscillating air pressure. The maximum extracted power and corresponding reflection coefficient were determined at the optimal turbine coefficient that maximizes the extracted power. OWC device designed for a high extracted efficiency simultaneously contributes to reduce reflected waves.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.441-445
• /
• 2010

The ouput power of wave energy system in buoy is determined according to the inner diameter of oscillating water column and flow resistance. The increase of adhered shellfish inside the water column leads to decrease the inner diameter of wave energy converter. Influx loss of seawater reduces the efficiency of output power in the wave generation system. In this paper, the test result of AFS characteristic is described for preventing the deposition with shellfish and etc. The current of anode is controlled by buck converter, and the control algorithm developed for AFS in buoy. The experimental results is shown excellent preventing capapbility of AFS in buoy.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2015.07a
• /
• pp.1054-1055
• /
• 2015

진동 수주형 파력발전 시스템(oscillating water column wave energy converter)의 효율을 증대할 수 있는 터빈의 최대 효율 추종 제어기를 제안한다. 진동 수주형 파력발전 시스템은 캡처 챔버(capture chamber)와 터빈, 발전기로 구성되어 있으며 발전기 말단에 연결된 저항의 값을 제어 입력으로 삼는다. 본 논문에서는 파력발전 시스템의 캡처 챔버와 터빈의 동역학 모델에 대해 소개하고, 터빈의 최대 효율 추종 제어기의 안정성을 증명하고 이를 JONSWAP 모델의 비규칙 파랑 조건하에서 시뮬레이션 하여 제어기 성능을 입증한다.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.345-357
• /
• 2011

Recently, as part of diversifying energy sources and earth environmental issues, technology development of new renewable energy using wave energy is actively promoted and commercialized around Europe and Japan etc. In particular, OWC(Oscillating Water Column) wave power generation system using air flow induced by vertical movement of the water surface by waves in an air-chamber within caisson is known as the most efficient wave energy absorption device and therefore, is one of the wave power generation apparatus the closest to commercialization. This study examines air flow velocity, which operates turbine(Wells turbine) directly in oscillating water column type wave power generation structure from two-and three-dimensional numerical experiments and discusses optimal shape of oscillating water column type wave power generation structure by estimating the maximum flow rate of air according to change in shape. The three-dimensional numerical wave flume was applied in interpretation for this study which is the model for the immiscible two-phase flow based on the Navier-Stokes Equation. From this, it turned out that size of optimal shape appears differently according to the incident wave period and air flow is maximized at the period where minimum reflection ratio occurs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.253-262
• /
• 2018

Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Wave Energy Converters (WEC) harness electricity through a Power-Take-Off (PTO) system from the induced-airflow by seawater oscillating inside a chamber. In general, an air chamber with a relatively small cross-sectional area is required compared to seawater chamber to obtain high-velocity air in the PTO system, and in order to simulate an accurate air flow rate in the air chamber, a three-dimensional study is required. In this study, the dynamic response of OWC-WEC that is equipped with the channel of seawater exchange for the case of irregular waves has been numerically studied. The open source CFD software, OLAFLOW for the simulation of wave dynamics to the openFOAM and FOAM-extend communities, was used to simulate the interaction between the device and irregular waves. Based on the numerical simulation results, we discussed the fluctuation characteristics of three dimensional air flow in the air-chamber, wave deformation around the structure and the seawater flow inside the channel of seawater exchange. The numerical results the maximum air flow velocity in the air-chamber increases as the Ursell value of the significant wave increases, and the velocity of airflow flowing out from the inside of air chamber to the outside is greater than the speed of flowing into the air chamber from the outside.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.173-180
• /
• 2007

Oscillating wave amplitude in a bottom-mounted OWC chamber designed for wave energy converter is investigated by applying characteristic wave conditions in Korean coastal water. The effects of shape parameters of OWC chamber in a view of wave energy absorbing capability are analyzed. Both experimental and numerical approaches are adopted and their results are compared to optimize the shape parameters which can result in a maximum power production under given wave distribution. The experiment was carried out in a wave flume under 2-D assumption of OWC chamber. The numerical scheme employed a hybrid Green integral equation which adopts the Rankine Green function inside chamber to take account of fluctuating air pressure, while it uses the Kelvin Green function in outer domain. Air duct diameter, chamber width, and submerged depths of front skirt and back wall of chamber changes the magnitude and peak frequency of wave absorption significantly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.470-475
• /
• 2019

This paper deals with a 30kW grid-connected PCS (Power Conversion System) for an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave-power generation system. Wave power generation in marine energy is suitable for Korea with the characteristics of a peninsula with three sides facing the sea. In the case of coastal disasters, wave generators can act as a breakwater to reduce damage, and can be integrated with other marine power generation systems to increase efficiency. Wave power generation systems are classified into various types, such as oscillating bodies, OWC, and overtopping according to the operation principle, and they can also be classified into two types according to the installation method: a fixed structure and floating structure. This paper proposes a 30kW grid-connected PCS topology and model for OWC wave power generation that is structurally stable with a turbine and generator that are relatively easy to maintain, and then provide a control method required for grid connection, including DC link voltage control. Simulation verification was performed to verify the proposed PCS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.8-18
• /
• 2002

In this paper, wave energy absorption of OWC(oscillating water column) device is analyzed. The analytic model consists of a partially immersed circular vertical cylinder open at its end and an air turbine connected with the air chamber. The boundary value problem is decomposed into scattering problem related to scattering by an incident wave in the absence of a pressure variation and radiation problem describing the flow due to an oscillating pressure in the absence of an incident wave. By invoking the continuity of an air flow inside the chamber, the oscillating pressure in a chamber is derived. With oscillating pressure, the mean power absorbed by OWC device and the capture width are obtained. In numerical calculation, the induced volume flux across the internal free surface of the chamber in the scattering and radiation problem and the maximum capture width are compared with various design parameters such as radius and submergence depth of chamber and wave conditions. The maximum capture width obtained by choosing the optimal value of turbine constant occurs at the first resonant mode (Helmholtz mode) among the natural frequencies of a circular cylinder chamber.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.29-38
• /
• 2018

In order to evaluate the performance of the floating wave power, which is an axisymmetric oscillating water column type, linearized free surface boundary condition considering the influence of PTO (power takeoff) was derived and a finite element numerical model was established. Numerical experiments were carried out by varying cylinder length, skirt length, and depth of water, which are design parameters that can change the resonance of water column in cylinder and heave resonance of the float, which is considered to affect the power generation efficiency. Finally, the basic data necessary for the optimum design of the power generation system were obtained. As a result, the efficiency of the power generation system is dominated by the heave motion resonance of the float rather than the water column resonance in the cylinder, and the resonance condition for the heave motion can be changed efficiently by attaching the skirt to the outside of the buoy.