Hydrodynamic performance of an OWC wave energy converter combined with a perforated wall

Abstract

This paper investigates the hydrodynamic performance of a novel Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device, which featuring a perforated wall positioned in front of the OWC chamber. Designed to be integrated into a caisson breakwater, this device aims to harness green energy from ocean waves while strengthening harbor infrastructure. A three-dimensional numerical simulation, utilizing the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, was conducted to explore the flow characteristics and hydrodynamic performance of the OWC. The numerical simulations were validated using data from the literature and current experimental measurements. This study examines the impacts of the underwater opening height of the OWC chamber wall and the novel front perforated wall on flow characteristics and hydrodynamic performance using prototype-scale simulations. The simulation results indicate that the current OWC device achieves optimal hydrodynamic efficiency at a relative water depth kh = 1.58 with a relative underwater opening height h_b/h = 0.6 and a porosity of the front perforated wall λ_s = 0.5. A comparative analysis of the hydrodynamic performance of the novel OWC device against U-OWC and conventional OWC devices was also conducted using local site conditions. The findings demonstrate that the current OWC device exhibits a notable improvement in hydrodynamic efficiency.