Abstract
In this study, a weakly compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics
(WCSPH) model was used to simulate the forced piston motion of water
inside a fixed oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter. The
considered device was a chamber with a complex entrance geometry
attached to the rear wall of the wave flume. The effect of an impulse
turbine on the chamber was modeled by an equivalent orifice damping
force applied on a thin plate. This way, a balance is established
between numerical accuracy and efficiency. The simulations were
performed for two different wave steepness values of 0.025 and 0.04. To
validate the model results, the experimental work performed in the wave
tank at the Technical University of Denmark on this device was used.
Fourier Transform analysis was performed on the SPH model results and
experimental data to obtain the first-harmonic amplitude of the desired
parameters. In general, a good correspondence was found between the SPH
calculations and the experimental results for the piston motion of the
water inside the chamber. However, the SPH results were slightly larger,
especially around the resonance period. A possible reason is the
placing of the plate above the free surface which might reduce the small
sloshing motions of water inside the chamber. Finally, from the heaving
velocity of the plate, the flux and pressure drop through the orifice
were evaluated. It is shown that all three parameters reach their
maximum around the resonance period of the chamber.
Original language | English |
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Journal | European Journal of Mechanics B - Fluids |
Volume | 95 |
Pages (from-to) | 38-51 |
ISSN | 0997-7546 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Keywords
- Wave energy conversion
- Oscillating water column
- Impulse turbine
- WCSPH modeling
- DualSPHysics