The power-capture of a nearshore, modular, flap-type wave energy converter in regular waves

Bottom-hinged, nearshore flap-type wave energy converters (WECs), have several advantages, such as high power conversion efficiency and survivability. They typically comprise a single flap spanning their full width. However, a potentially beneficial design change would be to split the flap into multiple modules, to make a ‘Modular Flap’. This could provide improvements, such as increased power-capture, reduced foundation loads and lower manufacturing and installation costs. Assessed in this work is the hydrodynamic power-capture of this device, based on physical modelling. Comparisons are made to an equivalent ‘Rigid Flap’. Tests are conducted in regular, head-on and off-angle waves. The simplest control strategy, of damping each module equally, is employed. The results show that, for head-on waves, the power increases towards the centre of the device, with the central modules generating 68% of the total power. Phase differences are also present. Consequently, the total power produced by the Modular Flap is, on average, 23% more smooth than that generated by the Rigid Flap. The Modular Flap has 3% and 1% lower average power-capture than the Rigid Flap in head-on and off-angle waves, respectively. The advantages of the modular concept may therefore be exploited without significantly compromising the power-capture of the flap-type WEC

A hydrodynamic study of wave energy convertors with particular reference to oscillating water columns

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Field measurements of breaking wave loads on a shoreline wave power station

Field measurements of breaking wave loads on a shoreline wave power station G.Muller, PhD, MSc, and T. T.Whittaker, PhD, MRINA J. W A wave load monitoring system for the Islay prototype wave power station was designed and installed. The monitoring system comprises a transducer module which houses five transducers and a selective data acquisition system. The system has been operational since January 1991. Six major storms with a duration of 24 days were monitored. So far, 2326 data records were taken and a maximum pressure of 51.3 kN/m-2, corresponding to 12% of the design pressure, was measured...<br/

Small scale shoreline gully wave energy device phase 1

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:3816.48(ETSU-WV--1675/P1) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo