Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Wave Dynamics of a Dual-Chamber OWC Wave Energy Device

Abstract

Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave energy device is one of the most studied and applied wave energy converters (WECs). The survivability of WECs is a major concern in the OWC design. In this study, the wave dynamics of a dual-chamber OWC device is numerically and experimentally investigated. The experimental tests were carried out in the wave-current flume at the State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology. A fully nonlinear numerical wave flume based on potential-flow theory and time-domain higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM) is developed and applied to simulate the interaction between air, wave and the dual-chamber OWC device. The numerical model is validated by comparing the simulated wave induced pressure on the barrier walls with the measurements. Then the wave forces and the moment on the device is numerically investigated. The model and experimental results indicate that the horizontal wave force on the front barrier wall is much larger than that on the internal barrier wall. The joint between the back wall and the ground withstands the largest bending moment, therefore, is most vulnerable to structure damage and fatigue.