UKERC EDC: ETI

Citation	Wilkinson, L., Whittaker, T.J.T., Thies, P.R., Day, S., and Ingram, D. The power-capture of a nearshore, modular, flap-type wave energy converter in regular waves, Ocean Engineering, 137: 394-403, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.04.016. Cite this using DataCite
Author(s)	Wilkinson, L., Whittaker, T.J.T., Thies, P.R., Day, S., and Ingram, D.
Project partner(s)	Queen?s University Belfast, University of Exeter, University of Strathclyde, University of Edinburgh
Publisher	Ocean Engineering, 137: 394-403
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.04.016
Abstract	Bottom-hinged, nearshore flap-type wave energy converters (WECs), have several advantages, such as high power conversion efficiency and survivability. They typically comprise a single flap spanning their full width. However, a potentially beneficial design change would be to split the flap into multiple modules, to make a “Modular Flap”. This could provide improvements, such as increased power-capture, reduced foundation loads and lower manufacturing and installation costs. Assessed in this work is the hydrodynamic power-capture of this device, based on physical modelling. Comparisons are made to an equivalent “Rigid Flap”. Tests are conducted in regular, head-on and off-angle waves. The simplest control strategy, of damping each module equally, is employed. The results show that, for head-on waves, the power increases towards the centre of the device, with the central modules generating 68% of the total power. Phase differences are also present. Consequently, the total power produced by the Modular Flap is, on average, 23% more smooth than that generated by the Rigid Flap.; The Modular Flap has 3% and 1% lower average power-capture than the Rigid Flap in head-on and off-angle waves, respectively. The advantages of the modular concept may therefore be exploited without significantly compromising the power-capture of the flap-type WEC Highlights Physical modelling of a modular flap considers viscous effects. Power increases significantly towards the central modules. A modular flap has 3% lower efficiency than a rigid flap in head-on waves. Power generated by a modular flap is 23% more smooth. A modular flap has up to 10% higher efficiency in off-angle waves. This work was partly funded via IDCORE, the Industrial Doctorate Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy, which trains research engineers whose work in conjunction with sponsoring companies aims to accelerate the deployment of offshore wind, wave and tidal-current technologies
Associated Project(s)	ETI-MA2003: Industrial Doctorate Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE)
Associated Dataset(s)	No associated datasets
Associated Publication(s)	A model to map levelised cost of energy for wave energy projects An Integrated Data Management Approach for Offshore Wind Turbine Failure Root Cause Analysis An investigation of the effects of wind-induced inclination on floating wind turbine dynamics: heave plate excursion Application of an offshore wind farm layout optimization methodology at Middelgrunden wind farm Characterisation of current and turbulence in the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility Characterization of the tidal resource in Rathlin Sound Comparison of Offshore Wind Farm Layout Optimization Using a Genetic Algorithm and a Particle Swarm Optimizer Component reliability test approaches for marine renewable energy Constraints Implementation in the Application of Reinforcement Learning to the Reactive Control of a Point Absorber Control of a Realistic Wave Energy Converter Model Using Least-Squares Policy Iteration Cost Reduction to Encourage Commercialisation of Marine in the UK Cumulative impact assessment of tidal stream energy extraction in the Irish Sea Design diagrams for wavelength discrepancy in tank testing with inconsistently scaled intermediate water depth Development of a Condition Monitoring System for an Articulated Wave Energy Converter Dynamic mooring simulation with Code(-)Aster with application to a floating wind turbine Environmental interactions of tidal lagoons: A comparison of industry perspectives ETI Insights Report - Wave Energy Exploring Marine Energy Potential in the UK Using a Whole Systems Modelling Approach Hybrid, Multi-Megawatt HVDC Transformer Topology Comparison for Future Offshore Wind Farms Hydrodynamic analysis of a ducted, open centre tidal stream turbine using blade element momentum theory Offshore wind farm electrical cable layout optimization Offshore wind installation vessels - A comparative assessment for UK offshore rounds 1 and 2 Optimisation of Offshore Wind Farms Using a Genetic Algorithm Quantifying uncertainty in acoustic measurements of tidal flows using a “Virtual” Doppler Current Profiler Reactive control of a two-body point absorber using reinforcement learning Reactive control of a wave energy converter using artificial neural networks Re-creation of site-specific multi-directional waves with non-collinear current Reliability and O & M sensitivity analysis as a consequence of site specific characteristics for wave energy converters Reliability prediction for offshore renewable energy: Data driven insights Resource characterization of sites in the vicinity of an island near a landmass Review and application of Rainflow residue processing techniques for accurate fatigue damage estimation Sensitivity analysis of offshore wind farm operation and maintenance cost and availability Simulating Extreme Directional Wave Conditions Testing Marine Renewable Energy Devices in an Advanced Multi-Directional Combined Wave-Current Environment Testing the robustness of optimal access vessel fleet selection for operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms The effects of wind-induced inclination on the dynamics ofsemi-submersible floating wind turbines in the time domain The Industrial Doctorate Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy(IDCORE) - Case Studies The SPAIR method: Isolating incident and reflected directional wave spectra in multidirectional wave basins UK offshore wind cost optimisation: top head mass (Presentation to All Energy, 10th May 2017)

The power-capture of a nearshore, modular, flap-type wave energy converter in regular waves