Laboratory Tests in the Development of WaveCat

Abstract

WaveCat, a novel overtopping Wave Energy Converter, was tested with the aim of determining its performance under different sea states, establishing a starting point for optimisation of the device, numerical model validation and proof-of-concept for the control systems. The tests were carried out at a 1:30 scale in the Ocean Basin of the COAST Laboratory at University of Plymouth. A state-of-the-art control system was implemented, and overtopping rates and device motions were recorded alongside the wave field. It was observed that power generation is dependent on both the wave height and period, with smaller periods tending to produce greater overtopping rates, and therefore greater power generation, for the same wave height. Due to time constraints in the laboratory, only one configuration of draft/freeboard was tested; with this configuration, overtopping occurred under significant wave heights of 0.083 m or more, corresponding to 2.5 m or more in prototype values. These experimental results form the basis for future development and optimisation of WaveCat.

High-fidelity numerical modelling of ocean wave energy systems: A review of computational fluid dynamics-based numerical wave tanks

“…This interpolation is computationally costly, nevertheless large body displacements can be handled without changing mesh topology. In the reviewed literature, only [154,160,163,185,198,199] employ the overset grid method, as implemented in the commercial CFD software, Star-CCM +.…”

Review of Wave Energy Converter and Design of Mooring System

“…Numerical Modeling [139][140][141][142][143] Numerical and Experimental [144][145][146][147][148] Physical Experiment [149][150][151][152][153] Consequently, the simulations of the floating WECs still need to rely on the linear potential theory. Time-domain simulations were performed to integrate nonlinear adverse effects with the aid of the methods of convolution like van Oortmerssen [154] or Cummins [155].…”

Towards an optimum design of wave energy converter arrays through an integrated approach of life cycle performance and operational capacity

“…The energy is extracted by means of low head turbines, using the difference in water levels between the reservoir and the average sea water level (Vicinanza et al, 2012). Specifically, we applied the methodology to the WaveCat prototype device (Fernandez et al, 2012;Allen et al, 2016).…”

“…This overtopping WEC has an overall width of D 100 m, and is moored in a single point to the seabed, orientating itself along the direction of wave propagation passively (Allen et al, 2016).…”