Abstract:
Objectives The utilization of wave energy can help to alleviate the global energy crisis and environmental problems. Combining a wave energy converter (WEC) with a floating breakwater is an effective way to reduce costs and achieve complementary functions. The control and optimization of the power output system is carried out for a multi-body WEC with wave protection effects.
Methods To study the interaction of the multi-body WEC with waves, a numerical wave flume is constructed using OpenFOAM software. The experiment simulates the interaction between the WEC and waves under different power take-off (PTO) strategies, namely linear, constant, linear spring, velocity-squared and snap through PTO systems, then compares the energy capture efficiency and wave dissipation performance of the WEC under each.
Results The results show that the wave energy capture efficiency of the multi-body WEC can reach up to 52.6%. The linear spring and snap through PTO systems, which are based on the optimization of linear PTO, have a certain degree of influence on the WEC and its wave dissipation effects. However, linear PTO is more advantageous than linear spring and snap through when considering both wave energy capture and wave dissipation effects.
Conclusions This study identifies the advantageous wave intervals of PTO systems such as constant damping and velocity-squared damping, and can provide useful references for optimizing PTO system settings for multi-body float-based WECs.