An Experimental Study of a Bottom-Hinged Wave Energy Converter with a Reflection Wall in Regular Waves—Focusing on Behavioral Characteristics

The hybrid system of wave energy converters (WECs) using coastal structures is an attractive issue in terms of a decrease in construction costs and an improvement of the ability to capture wave energy. Most studies on the utilization of reflected waves from structures, which is one of the hybrid sys...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences 2020-10, Vol.10 (19), p.6734
Main Authors: Cho, Yong-Hwan, Nakamura, Tomoaki, Mizutani, Norimi, Lee, Kwang-Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
bottom-hinged flap-type WEC
Climate change
Coastal structures
Coasts
Construction costs
Converters
Damping
Design and construction
Efficiency
Electricity
Electricity distribution
Energy
Energy conversion (Power resources)
Energy conversion efficiency
Equipment and supplies
Measurement
Mechanical properties
Ocean wave power
Power converters
power generation efficiency
Reflectance
reflection wall
Renewable resources
Slopes
Solar energy
standing wave
Standing waves
Technology application
Water depth
Wave energy
wave energy converter
Wave power
Wave reflection
Wind power
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Summary:The hybrid system of wave energy converters (WECs) using coastal structures is an attractive issue in terms of a decrease in construction costs and an improvement of the ability to capture wave energy. Most studies on the utilization of reflected waves from structures, which is one of the hybrid systems, are limited to mathematical analysis based on linear theories. Therefore, this paper presents fundamental experimental results in the presence of a reflection wall simplified as a coastal structure behind a bottom-hinged flap-type WEC under unidirectional regular waves. The behavioral characteristics and the power generation efficiency ke of the flap were investigated, focusing on wave steepness, initial water depth, and distance from the reflection wall. The results show that the condition of the initial water depth being smaller than the flap height is more effective in terms of avoiding unstable rotating of the flap. The maximum ke appeared slightly far from the node position of the standing waves because the flap shape and the power take-off (PTO) damping induce the phase difference between the reciprocating behavior of the flap and the period of the standing wave. The results imply that the optimum position of a WEC is dependent on WEC shape, PTO damping, and installation water depth.
ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app10196734