Numerical Method for Assessing Efficiency of Wave Energy Convertor Integrated Into Coastal Protection Structures

Abstract

The use of wave energy by converting it into electricity depends on the efficiency of wave energy converters, which are negatively affected by marine factors. Many design flaws can be eliminated at the stage of design and testing of devices by using its numerical models based on the application of the hydrodynamic theory of propagation and interaction of waves with marine structures. The use of the modern computational methods of hydrodynamics to determine the influence of some design factors of wave energy converters incorporated into a submerged breakwater is considered in the paper. The results of numerical studies showed that if a submerged breakwater is located in the wave stream and with a transducer installed on its crest, there is a change in flow velocities and pressure in the transducer chamber, which affects the efficiency of energy extraction. Additional advantages arise as a result of the introduction of a complex structure with coastal protection and power supply functions. The obtained calculation results visualize the qualitative indicator of the influence of the design factors of the converter. Additional conclusions can be obtained by processing the numerical results. As a result of numerical experiments conducted with using REEF3D CFD computer system, the measures for selecting the parameters of the converters were proposed based on mathematical modeling of specific structures. The research related to the determination of the mechanisms of wave energy transformation when interacting with coastal protection elements focused on increasing the efficiency of the convertor by locating in deeper water, which includes detailed testing, investigations and improvement of various types of constructions, is carried out on the computing and laboratory base of Institute of Hydromechanics.