• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.169-174
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• 2008

Floating devices, such as a cavity resonance device take advantage of both the water motion and the wave induced motions of the floating body itself. The wave energy converter is known commercially as the WAGB(Wave Activated Generator Buoy) and is used in some commercially available buoys to power navigation aids such as lights and horns. This wave energy converter consists of a circular floatation body which contains a vertical center pipe that has free communication with the sea. A theoretical analysis of this power generated by a pneumatic type wave energy converter is performed and the results obtained from the analysis are used for a real wave energy converter for buoy. This paper presents the analysis results and the design method for the WEC(Wave Energy Converter), and the associate results are application to the commercially available WEC for buoy. Maximum performance of WEC occurs at resonance with driving waves. The analysis of WEC is performed with LabVIEW program, and the design method of WEC for buoy is suggested in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.182-189
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• 2012

This study suggests a dynamic design process for deciding properly design parameters of a mass-spring type Wave Energy Converter (WEC) to achieve sufficient energy conversion from wave to power generator. The WEC mechanism, in this research, consists of a rigid sprung body, a platform, suspension springs and dampers. The rigid sprung body is supported on the platform via springs and dampers and vibrates translationally in the heave direction under wave excitation. At last the resulting heave motion of the sprung body is transmitted to rotating motion of the electric generator by rack and pinion, and transmission gears. For the purpose of vibration analysis, the WEC mechanism has been simply modelled as a mass-spring-damper system under harmonic base excitation. Its maximum displacement transmissibility and steady state response can be determined by using elementary vibration theory if the harmonic ocean wave data were provided. With the vibration analysis results, the suggested dynamic design process of WEC can determine all the design parameters of the WEC mechanism, such as sprung body mass, suspension spring constant, and damping coefficient that can give sufficient relative displacement transmissibility and the associated inertia moment to drive the electric generator and transmission gears.

• 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.

• 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.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2022

In this paper, a pitch-type wave energy converter (WEC-rotor) is investigated in irregular wave conditions for the real sea testing at the west coast of Jeju Island, South Korea. The present research builds on and extends our previous work on regular waves to irregular waves. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the WEC-rotor are assessed by establishing a quasi-two-dimensional numerical wave tank using computational fluid dynamics by solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation. The numerical solution is validated with physical experiments, and the comparison shows good agreement. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic performance of the WEC-rotor is explored by investigating the effect of the power take-off (PTO) loading torque by one-way and two-way systems, the wave height, the wave period, operational and high sea wave conditions. Irrespective of the sea wave conditions, the absorbed power is quadratic in nature with the one-way and two-way PTO loading systems. The power absorption increases with the wave height, and the increment is rapid and mild in the two-way and one-way PTO loading torques, respectively. The pitch response amplitude operator increases as the wave period increases until the maximum value and then decreases. For a fixed PTO loading, the power and efficiency are higher in the two-way PTO loading system than in the one-way PTO loading system at different wave periods.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.229-237
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• 2021

A numerical hydrodynamic performance analysis of the pitch-type multibody wave energy converter (WEC) is carried out based on both linear potential flow theory and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the unidirectional wave condition. In the present study, Salter's duck (rotor) is chosen for the analysis. The basic concept of the WEC rotor, which nods when the pressure-induced motions are in phase, is that it converts the kinetic and potential energies of the wave into rotational mechanical energy with the proper power-take-off system. This energy is converted to useful electric energy. The analysis is carried out using three WEC rotors. A multibody analysis using linear potential flow theory is performed using WAMIT (three-dimensional diffraction/radiation potential analysis program), and a CFD analysis is performed by placing three WEC rotors in a numerical wave tank. In particular, the spacing between the three rotors is set to 0.8, 1, and 1.2 times the rotor width, and the hydrodynamic interaction between adjacent rotors is checked. Finally, it is confirmed that the dynamic performance of the rotors slightly changes, but the difference due to the spacing is not noticeable. In addition, the CFD analysis shows a lateral flow phenomenon that cannot be confirmed by linear potential theory, and it is confirmed that the CFD analysis is necessary for the motion analysis of the rotor.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 2015

In this study, we proposed a new type of dual-buoy wave energy converter (WEC) exploiting multi-resonance and analyzed the experimental results from a model test in a 2-D wave flume. A dual-buoy WEC using multi-resonance has two advantages: high efficiency at the resonant frequencies and the potential to extend the frequency range available to extract wave power from the WEC. The suggested WEC was composed of an outer buoy and an inner buoy sliding vertically inside the outer buoy. As the power take-off device, a linear electric generator (LEG) consisting of permanent magnets and coils fixed at each buoy was adopted. Electricity was produced by the relative heave motion between the two buoys. To search for the optimal shape of a dual-buoy WEC, we conducted experiments on the heave motion of a two-body system in regular waves without an LEG installed. Model tests with six combinations of experimental models were conducted in order to find the motion characteristics of a dual-buoy WEC. It was found that model 2, which included a ring-shaped appendage to move the resonant frequency of the outer buoy toward a high value, showed a higher relative heave response amplitude operator (RAO) curve than model 1. In addition, the double-peak shape of the heave RAO curve shown for model 2 indicated the extension of the frequency range for extracting wave power in irregular waves.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2019

Latching control was applied to a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) buoy with direct linear electric Power Take-Off (PTO) systems oscillating in heave direction in waves. The equation of the motion of the WEC buoy in the time-domain is characterized by the wave exciting, hydrostatic, radiation forces and by several damping forces (PTO, brake, and viscous). By applying numerical schemes, such as the semi-analytical and Newmark ${\beta}$ methods, the time series of the heave motion and velocity, and the corresponding extracted power may be obtained. The numerical prediction with the latching control is in accordance with the experimental results from the systematic 1:10-model test in a wave tank at Seoul National University. It was found that the extraction of wave energy may be improved by applying latching control to the WEC, which particularly affects waves longer than the resonant period.

• 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 Advanced Research in Ocean Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.66-77
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• 2018

This paper presents a parametric study on an oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter (WEC). This OWC has been planned for installation in the breakwaters on isolated islands located away from the mainland. Both a numerical analysis and a model experiment are utilized for determining a proper conceptual design for this purpose. Various design parameters, including the configurations and dimensions, are evaluated through the numerical analysis, which is based on a potential flow theory, and several design concepts are then selected as candidates. The model experiment using a 2D wave flume is conducted to evaluate the effects of the design parameters and compare the performances of the candidates. Based on the overall results of the numerical analysis and model experiment, a conceptual design of the OWC WEC applicable to a breakwater is selected.