A Wave Energy Converter Design Load Case Study

• Published in: Journal of marine science and engineering Vol. 7; no. 8; p. 250
• Main Authors: van Rij, Jennifer, Yu, Yi-Hsiang, Guo, Yi, Coe, Ryan G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Accuracy; Approximation; Boundary element method; Case studies; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer applications; Converters; Design; design loads; Design modifications; Energy; Evaluation; extreme conditions; Finite element method; Fluid dynamics; fluid structure interaction; Hydrodynamics; Load; Loads (forces); Methods; Optimization; Potential flow; Probability; Probability distribution; Real time; Regular waves; Sea state; Sea states; Simulation; Survival; TIDAL AND WAVE POWER; Wave energy; wave energy converter; Wave power
• ISSN: 2077-1312; 2077-1312
• DOI: 10.3390/jmse7080250

This article presents an example by which design loads for a wave energy converter (WEC) might be estimated through the various stages of the WEC design process. Unlike previous studies, this study considers structural loads, for which, an accurate assessment is crucial to the optimization and survival of a WEC. Three levels of computational fidelity are considered. The first set of design load approximations are made using a potential flow frequency-domain boundary-element method with generalized body modes. The second set of design load approximations are made using a modified version of the linear-based time-domain code WEC-Sim. The final set of design load simulations are realized using computational fluid dynamics coupled with finite element analysis to evaluate the WEC’s loads in response to both regular and focused waves. This study demonstrates an efficient framework for evaluating loads through each of the design stages. In comparison with experimental and high-fidelity simulation results, the linear-based methods can roughly approximate the design loads and the sea states at which they occur. The high-fidelity simulations for regular wave responses correspond well with experimental data and appear to provide reliable design load data. The high-fidelity simulations of focused waves, however, result in highly nonlinear interactions that are not predicted by the linear-based most-likely extreme response design load method.