A numerical analysis of several wave energy converter arrays deployed in the Black Sea

• Published in: Ocean engineering Vol. 131; pp. 68 - 79
• Main Authors: Erselcan, İlkay Özer, Kükner, Abdi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2017
• Subjects: Hydraulic power take-off system; Multi-body interaction; Point absorber; The Black Sea; Wave energy converter array; Wave interaction theory; Multi-body interaction; The Black Sea; Point absorber; Wave interaction theory; Hydraulic power take-off system; Wave energy converter array
• ISSN: 0029-8018; 1873-5258
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2016.12.028

Three wave energy converter arrays are analyzed to investigate the effects of the wave-body interactions on the energy generation within arrays. The arrays are analyzed by modeling four sea states observed at each of two locations in the Turkish coasts of the Black Sea. A potential flow based solver which was formerly developed for the analysis of the ship motions has been modified to analyze the interaction of multiple bodies in time domain. A high pressure hydraulic power take-off system is employed for converting the mechanical force and motion provided by the float of the wave energy converter. The results show that the energy generated by each wave energy converter in all arrays is less than that generated by a single isolated wave energy converter in both locations with all sea states. The amount of reduction in the energy generated diminishes with the sea states become more severe. While the amounts of energy generated by the wave energy converters in Array 1 and 2 are close to each other, the hydrodynamic interaction of multiple wave energy converters become more severe in Array 3 and the amount of the energy generated by each wave energy converter differ from one another significantly. •Three wave energy converter(WEC) arrays are considered in this study.•The arrays are analyzed by modeling different sea states observed in the Black Sea.•The effects of the interaction of waves with multiple bodies are studied.•The energy generated by each WEC decreases due to the interaction of all WECs.•The effect of the interactions becomes significant with an array gets larger.