Influence of the Maximum Wave Power Extraction on the Structural Response of OWC Wave Energy Converters

Abstract

A methodology to analyse the influence of power-optimal OWC (oscillating water column) system configurations against the maximum structural response stresses is proposed. Different values of the selected control parameters are considered to represent the power-optimal and non-power-optimal configurations of the system. The wave power extraction and the structural response of the OWC with power-optimal control parameters is compared against those obtained adopting non-power-optimal control parameters. The results reveal that the control parameters have a clear influence on both the wave power extraction and the structural response stresses. This opens a line of research to investigate the trade-off between the wave power extraction and the structural response of the system, hence the potential structural reliability.