• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.31-40
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• 2014

This paper proposes a multi absorbing wave energy converter design, in which a hydrostatic transmission is used to transfer wave energy to electric energy. The most important feature of this system is its combination of the pressure coupling principle with the use of a hydraulic accumulator to eliminate the effects of wave power fluctuation; this maintains a constant speed of the hydraulic motor. Tilt motion of a floating buoy was employed as the power take-off mechanism. Furthermore, a PID controller was designed to carry out the speed control of the hydraulic motor. The design offers some advantages such as extending the life of the hydraulic components, increasing the amount of energy harvested, and stabilizing the output speed.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.390-402
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• 2022

Offshore wind energy has become a major energy source, and various studies are underway to increase the economic feasibility of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT). In this study, the characteristics of wave-induced motion of a combined wind-wave energy platform were analyzed to reduce the variability of energy extraction. A user subroutine was developed, and numerical analysis was performed in connection with the ANSYS-AQWA hydrodynamic program in the time domain. A platform combining the TLP-type FOWT and the Wavestar-type wave energy converter (WEC) was proposed. Each motion response of the platform on the second-order wave load, the effect of WEC attachment and Power take-off (PTO) force were analyzed. The mooring line tension according to the installation location was also analyzed. The vertical motion of a single FOWT was increased approximately three times due to the second-order sum-frequency wave load. The PTO force of the WEC played as a vertical motion damper for the combined platform. The tension of the mooring lines in front of the incident wave direction was dominantly affected by the pitch of the platform, and the mooring lines located at the side of the platform were mainly affected by the heave of the platform.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2014

The present study aims to design an optimized hull shape of a floating pendulum-type wave energy converter(WEC). The purpose of these structure is to improve the performance and stability of the WEC by reducing its motion under operating and survival wave conditions. In this study, motion reduction structures, like restoring and dampling plates were installed on a floating pendulum WEC that has been the subject of previous studies. Restoring plates were installed to increase the restoring force and shift the natural period to a shorter period. Damping plates were installed to shift the natural period to a longer period by increasing the added mass. The effects of the structures were then analyzed under different incident wave conditions. The design parameters for the motion reduction structures were size, shape, and installed position. The wave-induced motion characteristics and performance of the floating pendulum WEC were also investigated numerically. Based on the simulation results, we are able to optimize the motion reduction structure of the WEC, thus improving its efficiency and durability.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.280-294
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• 2022

This study reviews the recent development and research results of a fixed oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter (WEC). The OWC WEC can be divided into fixed and floating types based on the installation location and movement of the structure. In this article, the study on a stationary OWC WEC, which is close to commercialization through the accumulation of long-term research achievements, is divided into five research categories with a focus on primary energy conversion research. These research categories include potential-flow-based numerical analysis, wave tank experiments, computational fluid dynamics analyses toward investigation of fluid viscous effects, U-shaped OWC studies that can amplify water surface displacement in the OWC chamber, and studies on OWC prototypes that have been installed and operated in real sea environments. This review will provide an overview of recent research on the stationary OWC WEC and basic information for further detailed studies on the OWC.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.167.2-167.2
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• 2011

Motions in nature, for example ocean wave, has been playing a significant role for generating electricity production in our modern life. This paper presents an innovative approach for electric power conversion of the vast ocean wave energy. Here, a floating-buoy wave energy converter (WEC) using hydrostatic transmission (HST), which is shortened as HSTWEC, is proposed and designed to enhance the wave energy harvesting task during all wave fluctuations. In this HSTWEC structure, the power take-off system (PTO) is a combination of the designed HST circuit and an electric generator to convert mechanical energy generated by ocean wave into electrical energy. Several design concepts of the HSTWEC have been considered in this study for an adequate investigation. Modeling and simulations using MATLAB/Simulink and AMESim are then carried out to evaluate these design concepts to find out the best solution. In addition, an adaptive controller is designed for improving the HSTWEC performance. The effectiveness of the proposed HSTWEC control system is finally proved by numerical simulations.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2014

A floating offshore structure has high tendency to occur the buckling when compressive, bending and shear loads applied. When the buckling is occurred, in-plane stiffness of structure is remarkably decreased. And it has a harmful effect on the local structural strength as well as global structural strength. In the present study, it has been investigated the ultimate strength of tubular members which is located between a floater and a damping plate of the floating pendulum wave energy converter. Nonlinear finite element method is conducted using the initial imperfection according to 1st buckling mode which is obtained from the elastic buckling analysis. It is also noted the ultimate bending strength characteristic varying with a diameter, thickness and stiffeners of the tubular member.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.171-171
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• 2010

An innovative design of a floating-buoy wave energy converter (WEC) using hydrostatic transmission (HST), named HSTWEC, is presented in this paper. The system is designed to convert ocean wave fluctuation into electricity by using the HST circuit and an electric generator. Based on the floating-buoy concept, the wave forces the sub-buoy to move up and down. Consequently, the electric power can be obtained from the generator in both the moving directions of the sub-buoy through the HST circuit as shown in Fig. 1. In order to investigate the HSTWEC operations, a mathematical model of the system is indispensible. In addition, the method to control the HSTWEC, including: pump displacement control, tension adjustment control and ballast weight control, is also discussed in this paper. Finally, the design concept as well as simulation results indicated that this HSTWEC design is an effective solution and possible to fabricate for wave energy generation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.305-314
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• 2017

Ocean wave energy harvesting is still too expensive despite developing a variety of wave energy converter (WEC) devices. For the cost-effective wave energy harvesting, it can be an effective measure to use existing breakwaters or newly installed breakwaters for both wave control and energy harvesting purposes. In this study, we investigated the functionality of both breakwater and wave-power generator for the oscillating water column (OWC)-type wave energy converter (WEC) installed in a pneumatic floating breakwater, which was originally developed as a floating breakwater. In order to verify the performance of the breakwater as a WEC, the air flow velocity from air-chamber to WEC has to be evaluated properly. Therefore, air flow velocity, wave transformation and motion of floating structure was numerically implemented based on BEM from linear velocity potential theory without considering the compressibility of air within the chamber. Air pressure, meanwhile, was assumed to be fluctuated by the motions of structure and the water level change within air-chamber. The validity of the obtained values can be determined by comparing the previous results from the numerical analysis for different shapes. Based on numerical model results, wave transformation characteristics around OWC system mounted on the fixed and floating breakwaters, and motions of the structure with air flow velocities are investigated. In summary, all numerical results are almost identical to the previous research considering air compressibility. Therefore, it can be concluded that this analysis not considering air compressibility in the air chamber is more efficient and practical method.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.53-58
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• 2012

An experimental study on the hydrodynamic performance of a backward bent duct buoy (BBDB) was performed in a 2D wave tank. The BBDB is one of the promising oscillating water column (OWC) types of floating wave energy converters. Two different corner-shaped BBDBs (sharp-corner and round-corner) were used to measure the maximum chamber surface elevations and body motions for various incident wave conditions, and their hydrodynamic characteristics were compared. In order to investigate the effect of the pneumatic pressure inside the chamber, the heave and pitch angle interacted with elevations were compared for both open chamber and partially open chamber BBDBs. From the comparison study, the deviation in the chamber surface elevations between the two shapes of BBDBs was found to be significant near the resonance period, which may be explained by viscous energy loss. It was also found that the pneumatic pressure noticeably affected the chamber surface elevation and body motions.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.739-749
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• 2015

A new conceptual dual-buoy Wave Energy Converter (WEC) for the enhancement of energy extraction efficiency is suggested. Based on actual wave data, the design process for the suggested WEC is conducted in such a way as to ensure that it is suitable in real sea. Actual wave data measured in Korea's East Sea (position: $36.404N^{\circ}$ and $129.274E^{\circ}$) from May 1, 2002 to March 29, 2005 were used as the input wave spectrum for the performance estimation of the dual-buoy WEC. The suggested WEC, a point absorber type, consists of two concentric floating circular cylinders (an inner and a hollow outer buoy). Multiple resonant frequencies in proposed WEC affect the Power Ttake-off (PTO) performance of the WEC. Based on the numerical results, several design strategies are proposed to further enhance the extraction efficiency, including intentional mismatching among the heave natural frequencies of dual buoys, the natural frequency of the internal fluid, and the peak frequency of the input wave spectrum.