Wave energy absorption by a submerged air bag connected to a rigid float

Area of Science:

• Ocean Engineering
• Renewable Energy Technologies
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Wave energy conversion is crucial for sustainable power generation.
• Existing devices face challenges in efficiency and operational stability.
• A novel design integrating a submerged air bag and a rigid float is proposed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and analyze a new wave energy device design.
• To investigate the static and dynamic behavior of the device.
• To determine optimal operating conditions for maximum power capture.

Main Methods:

• Development of a wave energy device with a submerged ballasted air bag and rigid float.
• Wave tank experiments to measure device performance.
• Numerical modeling to predict device behavior and validate experimental results.

Main Results:

• Laboratory measurements closely matched numerical predictions.
• The device exhibits an S-shaped static equilibrium trajectory, allowing for three different draughts.
• Device performance in waves is dependent on its mean operating condition relative to the static trajectory.

Conclusions:

• The novel wave energy device demonstrates promising performance.
• Optimal power capture is achieved when operating on the middle section of the static equilibrium curve.
• The device's unique static behavior influences its dynamic response and energy conversion efficiency.