• Title/Summary/Keyword: Wave energy conversion

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Present State of Self-Rectifying Air Turbines for Wave Energy Conversion

  • Setoguchi, Toshiaki;Takao, Manabu
    • 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.12a
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    • pp.3-12
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    • 2003
  • This paper reviews the present state of the art on the self-rectifying air turbines, which could be used for wave energy conversion. The overall performances of the turbines under irregular wave conditions, which typically occur in the sea, have been evaluated numerically and compared from the viewpoints of the starting and running characteristics. The types of turbine included in the paper are as follows: (a) Wells turbine with guide vanes (WTGV); (b) turbine with self-pitch-controlled blades (TSCB); (c) biplane Wells turbine with guide vanes (BWGV); (d) impulse turbine with self-pitch-controlled guide vanes (ISGV) and (e) impulse turbine with fixed guide vanes (IFGV). As a result, under irregular wave conditions it is found that the running and starting characteristics of the impulse type turbines could be superior to those of the Wells turbine. Moreover, the authors have explained the mechanism of hysteretic behavior of the Wells turbine and the necessity of links for improvement of the performance of ISGV.

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Numerical hydrodynamic analysis of an offshore stationary-floating oscillating water column-wave energy converter using CFD

  • Elhanafi, Ahmed;Fleming, Alan;Macfarlane, Gregor;Leong, Zhi
    • International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.77-99
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    • 2017
  • Offshore oscillating water columns (OWC) represent one of the most promising forms of wave energy converters. The hydrodynamic performance of such converters heavily depends on their interactions with ocean waves; therefore, understanding these interactions is essential. In this paper, a fully nonlinear 2D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on RANS equations and VOF surface capturing scheme is implemented to carry out wave energy balance analyses for an offshore OWC. The numerical model is well validated against published physical measurements including; chamber differential air pressure, chamber water level oscillation and vertical velocity, overall wave energy extraction efficiency, reflected and transmitted waves, velocity and vorticity fields (PIV measurements). Following the successful validation work, an extensive campaign of numerical tests is performed to quantify the relevance of three design parameters, namely incoming wavelength, wave height and turbine damping to the device hydrodynamic performance and wave energy conversion process. All of the three investigated parameters show important effects on the wave-pneumatic energy conversion chain. In addition, the flow field around the chamber's front wall indicates areas of energy losses by stronger vortices generation than the rear wall.

A 3-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Impulse Turbine for Wave Energy Conversion

  • Lee, Hyeong-Gu;Lee, Yeon-Won
    • Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.535-541
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    • 2003
  • This paper describes numerical analysis of the impulse turbine with fixed guide vanes, a high performance hi-directional air turbine having simple structure for wane energy conversion. A 3-dimensional incompressible viscous flow numerical analysis based on the full Reynolds-averaged Wavier-Stokes equations was made to investigate the internal flow behavior Numerical results ate compared with experimental data. As a result, a suitable choice for the one of design factors has been clarified.

A Study for Fixed Type Wave Energy Conversion Device with Oscillating Water Column (고정식 진동수주형 파력발전기에 관한 실험적 연구)

  • 김성근;박노식;박인규
    • Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.136-145
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    • 1996
  • The theory is based on two thermodynamic equations for the air mass in the air column and bydrodynamic equation for the relation between the response of the air in the water column and the incident wave. The numerical model is experimented in a two dimensional water tank and the caisson model with sloped front wall is tested in the large towing tank.

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A Study of Self Starting Characteristics of Impulse Turbine of Wave Energy Conversion (파력발전용 임펄스 터어빈의 자기 기동 특성 해석)

  • MOON JAE-SEUNG;HYUN BEOM-SOO
    • Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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    • 2004.11a
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    • pp.220-224
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    • 2004
  • The present paper deals with the numerical study to analyze the self-starting performance of impulse turbine in a reciprocating air flow generated by sinusoidal motion of wave inside oscillating water column. Result was compared to that of Wells turbine, well-known wave energy conversion device, and showed that the impulse turbine has a superior self-starting ability. More detailed parametric study was performed to demonstrate the effects of moment of inertia of rotor, loading torque, tip clearance and angle of guide vane.

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Wave energy conversion utilizing vertical motion of water in the array of water chambers aligned in the direction of wave propagation

  • Hadano, Kesayoshi;Lee, Ki Yeol;Moon, Byung Young
    • International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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    • v.9 no.3
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    • pp.239-245
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    • 2017
  • As a new technical approach, wave energy converter by using vertical motion of water in the multiple water chambers were developed to realize actual wave power generation as eco-environmental renewable energy. And practical use of wave energy converter was actually to require the following conditions: (1) setting up of the relevant device and its application to wave power generation in case that severe wave loading is avoided; (2) workability in installation and maintenance operations; (3) high energy conversion potential; and (4) low cost. In this system, neither the wall(s) of the chambers nor the energy conversion device(s) are exposed to the impulsive load due to water wave. Also since this system is profitable when set along the jetty or along a long floating body, installation and maintenance are done without difficulty and the cost is reduced. In this paper, we describe the system which consists of a float, a shaft connected with another shaft, a rack and pinion arrangement, a ratchet mechanism, and rotary type generator(s). Then, we present the dynamics model for evaluating the output electric power, and the results of numerical calculation including the effect of the phase shift of up/down motion of the water in the array of water chambers aligned along the direction of wave propagation.

Antisymmetric-Symmetric Mode Conversion of Ultrasonic Lamb Waves and Negative Refraction on Thin Steel Plate

  • Sung, Jin Woo;Kim, Young H.
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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    • v.33 no.3
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    • pp.270-275
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    • 2013
  • In this study, focusing of ultrasonic Lamb wave by negative refraction with mode conversion from antisymmetric to symmetric mode was investigated. When a wave propagates backward by negative refraction, the energy flux is antiparallel to the phase velocity. Backward propagation of Lamb wave is quite well known, but the behavior of backward Lamb wave at an interface has rarely been investigated. A pin-type transducer is used to detect Lamb wave propagating on a steel plate with a step change in thickness. Conversion from forward to backward propagating mode leads to negative refraction and thus wave focusing. By comparing the amplitudes of received Lamb waves at a specific frequency measured at different distance between transmitter and interface, the focusing of Lamb wave due to negative refraction was confirmed.

Study of a New Air Turbine for Wave Energy Conversion (파력발전용 새로운 공기터빈 개발에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Tae-Ho;Setoguchi, Toshiaki;Kim, Heuy-Dong
    • Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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    • 2001.06d
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    • pp.955-960
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    • 2001
  • In order to develop an efficient turbine for wave energy conversion suitable for actual ocean conditions, a new type of the air turbine with staggered blades has been investigated experimentally. Experiments have been carried out under steady flow conditions. Both the running and starting characteristics under sinusoidally oscillating flow conditions are simulated by a CFD method using a quasi-steady analysis. It is known that the air turbine with staggered blades gives a better performance compared with conventional Wells turbine, and a proper design factor of the air turbine is discussed for the setting angle of the rotor.

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A Twin Impulse Turbine for Wave Energy Conversion -The Performance under Unsteady Airflow-

  • Alam, M M Ashraful;Sato, Hideki;Takao, Manabu;Okuhara, Shinya;Setoguchi, Toshiaki
    • International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.300-306
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    • 2016
  • A twin unidirectional impulse turbine for wave energy conversion has been suggested in our previous study, and the performance under unsteady flow has been investigated by quasi-steady analysis. In the present study, the performance of twin impulse turbine under unsteady flow condition has been investigated by unsteady analysis of Computational fluid dynamics. As a result, the mean efficiency of twin unidirectional impulse turbine under unsteady flow is lower than the maximum efficiency of unidirectional impulse turbine. Moreover, it is verified that airflow goes backward in the reverse turbine in low flow rates.

Wells Turbine for Wave Energy Conversion -Effect of Trailing Edge Shape-

  • Takasaki, Katsuya;Tsunematsu, Tomohiro;Takao, Manabu;Alam, M M Ashraful;Setoguchi, Toshiaki
    • International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.307-312
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    • 2016
  • The present study reported of the use of special shaped blade to reduce the difference in pressure across the Wells turbine for wave energy conversion. The blade profile was composed of NACA0020 airfoils and trailing edge was notched like chevron. Experiments were performed investigating the influence of trailing edge shape on the turbine performance. Four notch depths were used to investigate the effect of depth of cut on the turbine performance. As results, by placing a notch-cut at the trailing edge of the blade, it was possible to reduce the pressure difference across the turbine without lowering the efficiency. In addition, the pressure difference substantially reduced at a constant rate with the increase of the cut ratio.