Design and experimental evaluation of a unidirectional flow collective air pumps wave energy converter
Date
2018-01-08
Authors
Rodriguez-Macedo, Julio Cesar
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Abstract
Commercial viability of Wave Energy Converters (WEC) depends on addressing
not only the energetic effciency, but also in solving the practical issues related to
manufacturing methods, access to technology, handling, transportation and installation,
operation and maintenance, impact on marine life and most importantly the
cost per kW-h. The UFCAP WEC is one concept which has the potential to facilitate
handling, manufacturing, and installation activities as well as to be able to lower the
current wave energy cost per kW-h, however its feasibility had not been properly assessed nor proved. It consists of multiple interconnected Oscillating Water Columns
(OWC) chambers, it is modular, and simple, with no-moving parts in contact with
the water and can use a simpler one-direction turbine which is more economic, and
more effcient than self-rectifying turbines used in most of the OWCs devices. Testing
of the device to fully assess its feasibility required a low pressure check-valve, and
a customized turbine which were developed during the present work. Check-valves
are widely used in the industry for medium or high-pressures, but were not available
at all for large-flows with low-pressure-differences. A novel check-valve was devised
for this application, along with the scaled UFCAP prototypes developed to be tested
in a wave-flume and in the ocean to validate UFCAPs concept feasibility, and identify
critical design parameters and features such as the conduit/air-chamber ratio.
Ocean tests allowed to observe performance at component and assembly levels, learning
new failure-modes and stablishing best-practices for future deployments. Testing
confirmed the UFCAP WEC is not only an idea, but a concept which works
and can generateing electricity at a competitive cost.
Description
Keywords
Wave Energy Converter, Oscillating Water Column, Ocean tests, Wave Flume Test, Check-Valve