PT EN

Integrated Tool for Numerical Modeling of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Wave Energy Converters

Thematic Area
Innovation
Location
Application Areas
Industry
Scope
R&D
Maximum horizontal velocity outside (upper image) and inside (lower image) the OWC, for the wave periods of T=1.5s and T=1.6s.
Physical model near the water chamber during a test carried out for T=1.0 s and H=0.038 m
Scheme of the wave flume (model scale) for the oscillating water column device and wave gauge positions (dimensions are in meters)
Oscillating Water Column at Pico, Azores

Entity

Description

The aim of DITOWEC is the development of an Integrated Tool through the coupling of the numerical models SWAN and COULWAVE, to propagate waves from offshore to the coastline, and through the coupling of FLUENT and IH2VOF, RANS models, for the study of wave-structure interaction, hydrodynamics and aerodynamics on the OWC device.

The Integrated Tool was validated with results from physical model tests performed in a wave flume at LNEC.

Objectives

  • Development of the Integrated tool to support projects in ocean, coastal and harbour engineering,
  • Numerical modeling: numerical modeling validation, study of the wave-structure interaction and aerodynamic processes.
  • Physical modeling: tests to study the hydrodynamic of the OWC device and the wave-structure interaction

Results

- Database of experimental results with different wave conditions and tidal levels;

- Evaluation of possible scale/model effects and their influence on the results;

- Validated URANS models for modelling wave-structure interaction and the operation of the OWC wave energy plant;

- Analysis of the surface elevation, amplification factor, sloshing, phase angle and air pressure in the OWC device;

- Assessment of the Integrated Tool in the study of the wave energy device in Pico, Açores.

Next challenges

N/A