Hydrodynamic and power conversion performance for linear and triangular dual-buoy wave energy converter array

• Published in: Meccanica (Milan) 2024-04, Vol.59 (4), p.571-595
• Main Authors: Zhou, Yahui, Liu, Shuxu, Jin, Yeqing, Zhou, Xiaoguo, Kong, Fankai, Liu, Hengxu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Automotive Engineering; Buoys; Civil Engineering; Classical Mechanics; Damping; Deep water; Degrees of freedom; Efficiency; Energy; Energy conversion efficiency; Energy utilization; Engineering; Hydrodynamic coefficients; Impact factors; Interference; Layouts; Linear arrays; Mechanical Engineering; Optimization; Peak values; Water waves; Wave power
• ISSN: 0025-6455; 1572-9648
• DOI: 10.1007/s11012-024-01776-4

To address the issues concerning energy conversion efficiency and total energy in the propulsion process of wave energy conversion devices in deep water environments, this study examines the array layout of the existing dual-buoy point-absorption wave energy converter. Two array layouts, namely linear and triangular, are proposed. The coupling hydrodynamic coefficient between the dual-buoy wave energy converter array and the wave action is determined using the linear wave hydrodynamic theory. The optimal PTO damping coefficient of the dual-buoy wave energy converter array can be determined by combining the multi-degree-of-freedom vibration theory and optimization method. In this study, we introduce the array impact factor to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the energy conversion characteristics of dual-buoy wave energy converter arrays with linear and triangular configurations. We examine the effects of various factors such as wave angles, float spacing, and array layout on the wave energy conversion of dual-buoy wave energy converter arrays, as well as the causes of interference. Furthermore, the optimal wave energy capture impact factor of the linear array initially increases and then decreases with the wave direction angle and the distance between the buoys. This suggests that there is an ideal wave angle and spacing arrangement that can enhance the efficiency of the array system. The peak values of the optimal wave energy capture interference factors of the triangular array are all greater than 1, confirming that the array arrangement effectively improves the energy capture efficiency of the device. These research findings provide a theoretical basis for the engineering application of deep-water wave energy utilization and serve as a foundation for optimizing and designing the layout of oscillatory buoy wave energy generation converters.