• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-129
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• 2019

While global demand for energy increases annually, at the same time the demand for carbon-free, sulphur-free and NO_x-free energy sources grows considerably. This state poses a challenge in the research for newer sources like biomass and shale gas as well as renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydraulic energy. Although wave energy also is a form of renewable energy it has not fully been exploited technically and economically so far. This study tries to explain those reasons in which it is beyond doubt that the demand for wave energy will soon increase as fossil energy resources are depleted and environmental concerns gain more importance. The electrical energy supplied to the grid shall be produced from wave energy whose conversion devices can basically work according to three different systems. i. Systems that exploit the motions or shape deformations of their mechanisms involved, being driven by the energy of passing waves. ii. Systems that exploit the weight of the seawater stored in a reservoir or the changes of water pressure by the oscillations of wave height, iii. Systems that convert the wave motions into air flow. One of the aims of this study is to present the classification deficits of the wave energy converters (WECs) of the "wave developers" prepared by the European Marine Energy Center, which were to be reclassified. Furthermore, a new classification of all WECs listed by the European Marine Energy Center was arranged independently. The other aim of the study is to assess the technological state of the art of these WECs designed and/or produced, to obtain an overview on them.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.520-526
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• 2006

Wave Energy is a derivative of the solar energy input to the earth, which is accumulated on open water surfaces by the action of the winds Waves are disturbances in the water surface. This paper is interested primarily in progressive waves, which carry energy from one place to another Waves are irregular in size and frequency. Moreover the surface of the sea is one of the most hostile environments for engineering structures and materials. The idea of harnessing the tremendous power of the ocean's waves is not new. Hundreds of wave energy conversion techniques have been suggested over the last two centuries. Although many WECS (Wave Energy Conversion Systems) have been invented, only a few systems have been tested and evaluated. This paper describes the characteristic of WES (Wave Energy System) in terms of, devices, resource and potential, etc.. Finally, this paper provides a summary of general and specific conclusions and recommendations concerning WECS potential in Korea.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2022

In recent years, various studies have been conducted on oscillating-water-column-type wave energy converters (OWC-WECs) with multiple chambers with the objective of efficiently utilizing the limited space of offshore/onshore structures. In this study, a numerical investigation based on a numerical wave tank was conducted on single, dual, and triple OWC chambers to examine the hydrodynamic performances and the energy conversion characteristics of the multiple water columns. The boundary value problem with the Laplace equation was solved by using a numerical wave tank based on a finite element method. The validity of the current numerical method was confirmed by comparing it with the measured data in the previous experimental research. We undertook a series of numerical simulations and observed that the water column motion of sloshing mode in a single chamber can be changed into the piston motion of different phases in multiple OWC chambers. Therefore, the piston motion in the multiple chambers can generate considerable airflow at a specific resonant frequency. In addition, the division of the OWC chamber results in a reduction of the time-dependent variability of the final output power from the device. As a result, the application of the multiple chambers leads to an increase of the energy conversion performance as well as a decrease of the variability of the wave energy converter.