Time-Domain Simulations of the Coupled Dynamics of Surface Riding Wave Energy Converter

Authors: Chungkuk Jin, Moo-Hyun Kim, HeonYong Kang

Abstract:

A surface riding (SR) wave energy converter (WEC) is designed and its feasibility and performance are numerically simulated by the author-developed floater-mooring-magnet-electromagnetics fully-coupled dynamic analysis computer program. The biggest advantage of the SR-WEC is that the performance is equally effective even in low sea states and its structural robustness is greatly improved by simply riding along the wave surface compared to other existing WECs. By the numerical simulations and actuator testing, it is clearly demonstrated that the concept works and through the optimization process, its efficiency can be improved.

Keywords: Computer simulation, electromagnetics fully-coupled dynamics, floater-mooring-magnet, optimization, performance evaluation, surface riding, wave energy converter.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3299815

References:

[1] H.Y. Kang and M.H. Kim, “Method and apparatus for wave energy conversion,” US Patent 15896335, 2018.
[2] I.-H. Cho, J. Kim, and M.-H. Kim, “Numerical calculation and experiment of a heaving-buoy wave energy converter with a latching control,” Ocean Systems Engineering, vol. 9, pp. 1–19, March 2019.
[3] W. Koo and M.-H. Kim, “A time-domain simulation of an oscillating water column with irregular waves,” Ocean Systems Engineering, vol. 2, pp. 147–158, June 2012.
[4] Y. Gao, S. Shao, H. Zou, M. Tang, H. Xu, and C. Tian, “A fully floating system for a wave energy converter with direct-driven linear generator,” Energy, vol. 95, pp. 99–109, January 2016.
[5] E. Lejerskog, C. Boström, L. Hai, R. Waters, and M. Leijon, “Experimental results on power absorption from a wave energy converter at the Lysekil wave energy research site,” Renewable Energy, vol. 77, pp. 9–14, May 2015.
[6] J. Prudell, M. Stoddard, E. Amon, T. K. A. Brekken, and A. von Jouanne, “A permanent-Magnet Tubular Linear Generator for Ocean Wave Energy Conversion,” IEEE Transactions on Industry Application, vol. 46, pp. 2392–2400, November/December 2010.
[7] D. L. Garrett, “Dynamic analysis of slender rods,” Journal of Energy Resources Technology, vol. 104 pp. 302–306, December 1982.
[8] Z. Ran, M. H. Kim, and W, Zheng, “Coupled dynamic analysis of a moored spar in random waves and currents (time-domain versus frequency-domain analysis),” Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, vol. 121, pp. 194–200, August 1999.
[9] B. J. Koo and M. H. Kim, “Hydrodynamic interactions and relative motions of two floating platforms with mooring lines in side-by-side offloading operation,” Applied Ocean Research, vol. 27, pp. 292–310, December 2005.
[10] C. Jin and M.-H. Kim, “Time-domain hydro-elastic analysis of a SFT (submerged floating tunnel) with mooring lines under extreme wave and seismic excitations,” Applied Sciences, vol. 8, pp. 2236, November 2018.