Wave energy converters (WECs) extract energy from ocean waves and have the potential to produce a significant amount of electricity from a renewable resource. However, large “WEC farms” or “WEC arrays” (composed of a large number of individual WECs) are expected to exhibit “WEC array effects”. These effects represent the impact of the WECs on the wave climate at an installation site, as well as on the overall power absorption of the WEC array. Tests have been performed in the Shallow Water Wave Basin of DHI (Denmark) to study such “WEC array effects”. Large arrays of up to 25 heaving point absorber type WECs have been tested for a range of geometric layout configurations and wave conditions. Each WEC consists of a buoy with a diameter of 0.315 m. Power take-off was modeled by realizing friction based energy dissipation through damping of the WECs' motion. The produced database is presented: WEC response, wave induced forces on the WECs, and wave field modifications have been measured. A first understanding of WEC array effects is obtained. This unique experimental set-up of up to 25 individual WEC units in an array layout, placed in a large wave tank, is at present the largest set-up of its kind studying the important WEC array effects. The data obtained from these experimental tests will be very useful for validation and extension of numerical models. This model validation will enable optimization of the geometrical layout of WEC arrays for realistic wave farm applications and reduction of the cost of energy from wave energy systems.
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November 2015
Research Article|
December 30 2015
Sea-state modification and heaving float interaction factors from physical modelling of arrays of wave energy converters
V. Stratigaki;
V. Stratigaki
a)
1Department of Civil Engineering,
Ghent University
, Ghent 9052, Belgium
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P. Troch;
P. Troch
1Department of Civil Engineering,
Ghent University
, Ghent 9052, Belgium
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T. Stallard;
T. Stallard
2School of Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Engineering,
University of Manchester
, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
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D. Forehand;
D. Forehand
3School of Engineering, Institute for Energy Systems,
The University of Edinburgh
, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom
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M. Folley;
M. Folley
4School of Planning, Architecture & Civil Engineering,
Queen's University Belfast
, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom
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J. P. Kofoed
;
J. P. Kofoed
5Department of Civil Engineering, Wave Energy Research Group,
Aalborg University
, Aalborg 9000, Denmark
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M. Benoit;
M. Benoit
6IRPHE & Ecole Centrale Marseille, Institut de Recherche sur les Phenomenes Hors Equilibre, UMR 7342 (CNRS,
Aix-Marseille Universite
, Ecole Centrale Marseille), 13384 Marseille Cedex 13, France
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A. Babarit;
A. Babarit
7Ocean Energy and Ocean Waves Group,
LHEAA Lab–CNRS
, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Nantes 44321, France
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M. Vantorre;
M. Vantorre
1Department of Civil Engineering,
Ghent University
, Ghent 9052, Belgium
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J. Kirkegaard
J. Kirkegaard
8
Ocean Ports and Offshore Technology
, DHI, Hørsholm 2970, Denmark
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a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: [email protected].
J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 7, 061705 (2015)
Article history
Received:
October 12 2015
Accepted:
November 27 2015
Citation
V. Stratigaki, P. Troch, T. Stallard, D. Forehand, M. Folley, J. P. Kofoed, M. Benoit, A. Babarit, M. Vantorre, J. Kirkegaard; Sea-state modification and heaving float interaction factors from physical modelling of arrays of wave energy converters. J. Renewable Sustainable Energy 1 November 2015; 7 (6): 061705. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4938030
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