Numerical investigations on the hydrodynamic performance of different configurations of oscillating water columns

Abstract

Among the array of wave energy converters (WEC) under scrutiny, oscillating water columns (OWC) have emerged as one of the most thoroughly researched and straightforward options. This study delves into the hydrodynamic performance characteristics of four distinct configurations of OWC operating in regular and random wave conditions. Specifically, it examines the FD-OWC (Forward Duct OWC), CFLW-OWC (Curved Front Lip Wall OWC), CVFLW-OWC (Curved Vertical Front Lip Wall), and CEFLW-OWC (Curved Edged Front Lip Wall OWC), each featuring variations in the design of the front lip wall. The three-dimensional numerical model based on the open-source computational fluid dynamics package (OpenFOAM) is adopted to investigate the hydrodynamic performance of OWC devices. The numerical results are validated with the existing experimental works. The influence of the wave amplification factor, wave power absorption coefficient, the air pressure inside the four types of OWC chambers, the hydrodynamic efficiency, and dynamic water pressure inside and outside the front lip walls of the chambers for each of the configurations are computed. The results show that the CEFLW-OWC exhibits the maximum hydrodynamic efficiency.