Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The design, development and evaluation of a novel wave energy converter (WEC) device, called the ShoreSWEC, in a South African port development is presented. Based on the device requirements, site selection criteria were specified and applied to identify a suitable deployment location. A wave modeling procedure was developed to determine the operational wave conditions and available wave power resource at the selected location. The site was found to have a low mean annual average resource of approximately 2.3 kilowatt per meter wave crest (kW/m) due to its relatively sheltered location. The wave model was further used to determine design storm conditions and a structural stability analysis of the device was conducted. Experimental tests were performed to evaluate the hydrodynamic conversion efficiency of a single chamber of the device at its most conservative orientation, under a variety of wave energy conditions. The effect of a floor incline and an additional chamber on the performance of the system was investigated. The incline improved efficiency for low wave heights, making it ideal for the low wave power resource conditions of the site, whilst the multi-chamber system experienced increased performance at high wave periods. A comparison between the ShoreSWEC and a conventional oscillating water column (OWC) WEC showed that the OWC extracted 72% more energy, highlighting the sensitivity of performance on device orientation. A three-dimensional (3D) numerical model of the experimental setup was developed. The numerical model provided comparable water surface elevations inside the flume and chamber, yet predicted significantly higher internal chamber pressures and overall efficiency. The electricity generation potential of a 10 chamber ShoreSWEC at the specified location, approximated from the experimental results and 11 years of hindcast wave data, was found to be 6 kW on average for a 15 kW capacity system. Results of this study highlighted the need for greater understanding of the hydrodynamic characteristics of a full length device. Experimental tests in a 3D wave basin on a scaled full length ShoreSWEC model are therefore recommended. Once conducted, South Africa will be one step closer to the deployment of the full scale SWEC device. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwerp, ontwikkeling en evaluasie van ‘n unieke golfenergieomsetter (GEO), genaamd die ShoreSWEC, in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse haweontwikkeling word aangebied. Terrein evaluasie kriteria, gebaseer op die omsettervereistes, is ontwikkel en toegepas om die mees belowende terrein te identifiseer. ‘n Golfmodeleringsprosedure is ontwikkel om die operasionele golfkondisies en beskikbare golfdrywinghulpbron te bepaal. Daar is gevind dat die terrein ‘n lae gemiddelde golfdrywing van bykans 2.3 kilowat per meter golfkruin het as gevolg van die beskutte ligging. Die golfmodel is verder gebruik om ontwerpstormkondisies te bepaal en ‘n stabiliteitsanalise was op die toestel struktuur uitgevoer. Eksperimentele toetse van verskeie golfenergie kondisies is gedoen om die hidrodinamiese omsettingseffektiwiteit van ‘n enkel kamer van die toestel te bepaal teen sy konserwatiefste orientasie. Die effek van ‘n vloerhelling en ‘n addisionele kamer op die uitsette van die sisteem is ondersoek. Die helling het effektiwiteit verbeter vir lae golfhoogtes wat dit ideaal maak vir die lae hulpbron by die terrein, terwyl die veelvoudige-kamer-sisteem beter gevaar het by hoë golfperiodes. ‘n Vergelyking tussen die ShoreSWEC en ‘n konvensionele ossilerende waterkolom (OWK) GEO het gewys dat die OWK 72% meer energie onttrek. Dit beklemtoon die sisteem se sensitiwiteit vir die inkomende golfrigting. ‘n Drie-dimensionele (3D) numeriese model van die eksperimentele opstelling is ontwikkel. Die numeriese model het aansienlik hoër drukke binne die kamer, en gevolglik algehele effektiwiteit, voorspel as die eksperimentele toetse. Die elektriese opwekkingskapasiteit van ‘n 10 kamer ShoreSWEC by die terrein, gebaseer op die eksperimentele resultate en 11 jaar se golfdata, is bereken as 6 kW gemiddeld vir ‘n 15 kW kapasiteit stelsel. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie het die behoefte aan ‘n beter begrip van die hidrodinamiese eienskappe van ‘n vollengte sisteem beklemtoon. Eksperimentele toetse in ‘n 3D golfbak op ‘n geskaleerde vollengte ShoreSWEC model word dus aanbeveel. Sodra dit voltooi is, sal Suid-Afrika een stap nader wees aan die ontplooiing van ‘n volskaalse SWEC toestel.

Ocean wave energy is considered to be one of the important potential renewable energy resources for sustainable development. Various wave energy converter technologies have been proposed to harvest the energy from ocean waves. This thesis is based on the linear generator wave energy converter developed at Uppsala University. The research in this thesis focuses on the foundation optimization and the power absorption optimization of the wave energy converters and on the wave climate modelling at the Lysekil wave converter test site. The foundation optimization study of the gravity-based foundation of the linear wave energy converter is based on statistical analysis of wave climate data measured at the Lysekil test site. The 25 years return extreme significant wave height and its associated mean zero-crossing period are chosen as the maximum wave for the maximum heave and surge forces evaluation. The power absorption optimization study on the linear generator wave energy converter is based on the wave climate at the Lysekil test site. A frequency-domain simplified numerical model is used with the power take-off damping coefficient chosen as the control parameter for optimizing the power absorption. The results show a large improvement with an optimized power take-off damping coefficient adjusted to the characteristics of the wave climate at the test site. The wave climate modelling studies are based on the wave climate data measured at the Lysekil test site. A new mixed distribution method is proposed for modelling the significant wave height. This method gives impressive goodness of fit with the measured wave data. A copula method is applied to the bivariate joint distribution of the significant wave height and the wave period. The results show an excellent goodness of fit for the Gumbel model. The general applicability of the proposed mixed-distribution method and the copula method are illustrated with wave climate data from four other sites. The results confirm the good performance of the mixed-distribution and the Gumbel copula model for the modelling of significant wave height and bivariate wave climate.

Mediante a crescente necessidade de aumento na oferta de energia elétrica devido à constante elevação na demanda mundial, esta dissertação avalia o desempenho de um sistema conversor de energia de ondas marítimas em energia elétrica. O sistema em análise é o de coluna de água oscilante com turbina de dupla ação instalado na costa. Utiliza-se um modelo regular de ondas como perturbação à dinâmica de uma câmara semi-submersa gerando fluxo de ar através de uma turbina à ar de dupla ação. O sistema final é não linear e com parâmetros variantes no tempo. A dissertação investiga possibilidades para o aumento do rendimento da turbina em diferentes condições de mar através do método de simulação numérica. Após a modelagem física e matemática do sistema escolhido, inicia-se a síntese de um controlador proporcional derivativo para controle da pressão de ar na turbina em torno da pressão ideal de trabalho da mesma. A análise inclui o comparativo entre os resultados do sistema com e sem controlador e a avaliação de robustez utilizando ondas com amplitude variável. O trabalho apresenta ainda propostas de otimização do sistema para trabalhar em condições similares a região de Pecém no Brasil. Pelos resultados obtidos nas simulações, conclui-se que o rendimento e a robustez do sistema podem melhorar utilizando um sistema controlado. O rendimento do sistema poderá ainda ser otimizado para a região de instalação. / Facing the growing necessity in increasing the electrical energy offer due to the constant rise in worldwide demand, this work evaluates the performance of an ocean wave energy converter into electrical energy. The system under analysis is an oscillating water column with dual action turbine installed in a shore. A regular wave model is used as disturbance to the semi-submerged air chamber dynamic generating an air flow through the dual action air turbine. The final system is nonlinear and contains time varying parameters. This work investigates, through numerical simulation, possibilities to increase the turbine efficiency under different ocean conditions. After the physical and mathematical modeling, it is synthesized a proportional derivative controller to control the air pressure in the turbine around its ideal working pressure. The analysis of results includes a comparison between results obtained for the system with and without controller and a robustness evaluation with amplitude variation in ocean waves. The work also presents optimization proposals for the system working in conditions similar to the Pecém region in Brazil. By the results obtained with simulation, it is concluded that the efficiency and robustness were improved for the controlled system. It is observed that the efficiency can be optimized for the installation area.

This thesis aims to facilitate the siting and implementation of Florida Atlantic University Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (FAU SNMREC) ocean current energy (OCE) projects offshore southeastern Florida through the analysis of benthic anchoring conditions. Specifically, a suitability analysis considering all presently available biologic and geologic datasets within the legal framework of OCE policy and regulation was done. OCE related literature sources were consulted to assign suitability levels to each dataset, ArcGIS interpolations generated seafloor substrate maps, and existing submarine cable pathways were considered for OCE power cables. The finalized suitability map highlights the eastern study area as most suitable for OCE siting due to its abundance of sand/sediment substrate, existing underwater cable route access, and minimal biologic presence. Higher resolution datasets are necessary to locate specific OCE development locales, better understand their benthic conditions, and minimize potentially negative OCE environmental impacts. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Although oscillating water column type wave energy devices are nearing the stage of commercial exploitation, there is still much to be learnt about many facets of their hydrodynamic performance. This research uses the commercially available FLUENT computational fluid dynamics flow solver to model a complete OWC system in a two dimensional numerical wave tank. A key feature of the numerical modelling is the focus on the influence of the front wall geometry and in particular the effect of the front wall aperture shape on the hydrodynamic conversion efficiency. In order to validate the numerical modelling, a 1:12.5 scale experimental model has been tested in a wave tank under regular wave conditions. The effects of the front lip shape on the hydrodynamic efficiency are investigated both numerically and experimentally and the results compared. The results obtained show that with careful consideration of key modelling parameters as well as ensuring sufficient data resolution, there is good agreement between the two methods. The results of the testing have also illustrated that simple changes to the front wall aperture shape can provide marked improvements in the efficiency of energy capture for OWC type devices.

As energias renováveis vêm ocupando parcelas cada vez maiores das matrizes energéticas dos principais países do mundo, devido aos custos e impactos da exploração de combustíveis fósseis, e à necessidade de ampliação dos suprimentos de energia. Atualmente, as energias hidrelétrica, eólica e solar apresentam viabilidade técnica e econômica para uma grande quantidade de aplicações, com desenvolvimento tecnológico em alto nível de maturidade. A energia de ondas oceânicas ainda exige investimentos razoáveis para se tornar uma alternativa viável para fornecimento de energia elétrica, e vem sendo alvo de projetos para prospecção de potenciais e para desenvolvimento de tecnologias para conversão de energia. Neste estudo, chegou-se ao valor médio anual de 12 kW por metro de frente de onda como estimativa do potencial energético das ondas oceânicas do litoral norte do Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Esse valor é considerado razoável se comparado a potenciais em outros locais do mundo, e pode representar um acréscimo interessante de suprimentos de energia ao sistema energético local, que se mostra bastante receptivo aos recursos renováveis. Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar, em nível de pré-viabilidade, a inserção de suprimentos de energia de ondas no sistema interligado do litoral norte do RS, com base em simulações computacionais realizadas com o software HOMER, desenvolvido especialmente para otimização de sistemas de geração de energia baseados em recursos renováveis. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que empreendimentos para aproveitamento de energia de ondas atinjam viabilidade econômica quando seus custos específicos se tornarem pelo menos iguais ao dobro dos custos específicos associados aos aproveitamentos eólicos. / Renewable energies are increasingly occupying larger areas of the power generation matrices in major countries in the world, because of the costs and impacts of the fossil fuels exploitation, and because of the need to increase energy supplies. Currently, hydro, wind and solar energies present technical and economic feasibility for a lot of applications, with technological development at a high level of maturity. The wave energy still requires reasonable investment to become a viable alternative for electric energy supply, and has been the target for research projects about locations of potential energy and for development of power conversion technologies. The potential of the coast of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) has already been estimated and presents an annual average around 12 kW per meter of wave front. This value is considered reasonable compared to other potential sites in the world, and may represent an interesting addition to the energy supply of the local energy system, which shows a great receptivity to renewable resources. This study aims to assess, in pre-feasibility level, the insertion of wave energy supplies in the interconnected system of the northern coast of RS, based on computer simulations performed with the software HOMER, specially developed for optimization of power generation systems based on renewable resources. The results suggest that projects for harnessing wave energy reach economic feasibility when their specific costs become at least twice the specific costs associated with wind farms.

As energias renováveis vêm ocupando parcelas cada vez maiores das matrizes energéticas dos principais países do mundo, devido aos custos e impactos da exploração de combustíveis fósseis, e à necessidade de ampliação dos suprimentos de energia. Atualmente, as energias hidrelétrica, eólica e solar apresentam viabilidade técnica e econômica para uma grande quantidade de aplicações, com desenvolvimento tecnológico em alto nível de maturidade. A energia de ondas oceânicas ainda exige investimentos razoáveis para se tornar uma alternativa viável para fornecimento de energia elétrica, e vem sendo alvo de projetos para prospecção de potenciais e para desenvolvimento de tecnologias para conversão de energia. Neste estudo, chegou-se ao valor médio anual de 12 kW por metro de frente de onda como estimativa do potencial energético das ondas oceânicas do litoral norte do Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Esse valor é considerado razoável se comparado a potenciais em outros locais do mundo, e pode representar um acréscimo interessante de suprimentos de energia ao sistema energético local, que se mostra bastante receptivo aos recursos renováveis. Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar, em nível de pré-viabilidade, a inserção de suprimentos de energia de ondas no sistema interligado do litoral norte do RS, com base em simulações computacionais realizadas com o software HOMER, desenvolvido especialmente para otimização de sistemas de geração de energia baseados em recursos renováveis. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que empreendimentos para aproveitamento de energia de ondas atinjam viabilidade econômica quando seus custos específicos se tornarem pelo menos iguais ao dobro dos custos específicos associados aos aproveitamentos eólicos. / Renewable energies are increasingly occupying larger areas of the power generation matrices in major countries in the world, because of the costs and impacts of the fossil fuels exploitation, and because of the need to increase energy supplies. Currently, hydro, wind and solar energies present technical and economic feasibility for a lot of applications, with technological development at a high level of maturity. The wave energy still requires reasonable investment to become a viable alternative for electric energy supply, and has been the target for research projects about locations of potential energy and for development of power conversion technologies. The potential of the coast of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) has already been estimated and presents an annual average around 12 kW per meter of wave front. This value is considered reasonable compared to other potential sites in the world, and may represent an interesting addition to the energy supply of the local energy system, which shows a great receptivity to renewable resources. This study aims to assess, in pre-feasibility level, the insertion of wave energy supplies in the interconnected system of the northern coast of RS, based on computer simulations performed with the software HOMER, specially developed for optimization of power generation systems based on renewable resources. The results suggest that projects for harnessing wave energy reach economic feasibility when their specific costs become at least twice the specific costs associated with wind farms.

Mediante a crescente necessidade de aumento na oferta de energia elétrica devido à constante elevação na demanda mundial, esta dissertação avalia o desempenho de um sistema conversor de energia de ondas marítimas em energia elétrica. O sistema em análise é o de coluna de água oscilante com turbina de dupla ação instalado na costa. Utiliza-se um modelo regular de ondas como perturbação à dinâmica de uma câmara semi-submersa gerando fluxo de ar através de uma turbina à ar de dupla ação. O sistema final é não linear e com parâmetros variantes no tempo. A dissertação investiga possibilidades para o aumento do rendimento da turbina em diferentes condições de mar através do método de simulação numérica. Após a modelagem física e matemática do sistema escolhido, inicia-se a síntese de um controlador proporcional derivativo para controle da pressão de ar na turbina em torno da pressão ideal de trabalho da mesma. A análise inclui o comparativo entre os resultados do sistema com e sem controlador e a avaliação de robustez utilizando ondas com amplitude variável. O trabalho apresenta ainda propostas de otimização do sistema para trabalhar em condições similares a região de Pecém no Brasil. Pelos resultados obtidos nas simulações, conclui-se que o rendimento e a robustez do sistema podem melhorar utilizando um sistema controlado. O rendimento do sistema poderá ainda ser otimizado para a região de instalação. / Facing the growing necessity in increasing the electrical energy offer due to the constant rise in worldwide demand, this work evaluates the performance of an ocean wave energy converter into electrical energy. The system under analysis is an oscillating water column with dual action turbine installed in a shore. A regular wave model is used as disturbance to the semi-submerged air chamber dynamic generating an air flow through the dual action air turbine. The final system is nonlinear and contains time varying parameters. This work investigates, through numerical simulation, possibilities to increase the turbine efficiency under different ocean conditions. After the physical and mathematical modeling, it is synthesized a proportional derivative controller to control the air pressure in the turbine around its ideal working pressure. The analysis of results includes a comparison between results obtained for the system with and without controller and a robustness evaluation with amplitude variation in ocean waves. The work also presents optimization proposals for the system working in conditions similar to the Pecém region in Brazil. By the results obtained with simulation, it is concluded that the efficiency and robustness were improved for the controlled system. It is observed that the efficiency can be optimized for the installation area.

As energias renováveis vêm ocupando parcelas cada vez maiores das matrizes energéticas dos principais países do mundo, devido aos custos e impactos da exploração de combustíveis fósseis, e à necessidade de ampliação dos suprimentos de energia. Atualmente, as energias hidrelétrica, eólica e solar apresentam viabilidade técnica e econômica para uma grande quantidade de aplicações, com desenvolvimento tecnológico em alto nível de maturidade. A energia de ondas oceânicas ainda exige investimentos razoáveis para se tornar uma alternativa viável para fornecimento de energia elétrica, e vem sendo alvo de projetos para prospecção de potenciais e para desenvolvimento de tecnologias para conversão de energia. Neste estudo, chegou-se ao valor médio anual de 12 kW por metro de frente de onda como estimativa do potencial energético das ondas oceânicas do litoral norte do Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Esse valor é considerado razoável se comparado a potenciais em outros locais do mundo, e pode representar um acréscimo interessante de suprimentos de energia ao sistema energético local, que se mostra bastante receptivo aos recursos renováveis. Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar, em nível de pré-viabilidade, a inserção de suprimentos de energia de ondas no sistema interligado do litoral norte do RS, com base em simulações computacionais realizadas com o software HOMER, desenvolvido especialmente para otimização de sistemas de geração de energia baseados em recursos renováveis. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que empreendimentos para aproveitamento de energia de ondas atinjam viabilidade econômica quando seus custos específicos se tornarem pelo menos iguais ao dobro dos custos específicos associados aos aproveitamentos eólicos. / Renewable energies are increasingly occupying larger areas of the power generation matrices in major countries in the world, because of the costs and impacts of the fossil fuels exploitation, and because of the need to increase energy supplies. Currently, hydro, wind and solar energies present technical and economic feasibility for a lot of applications, with technological development at a high level of maturity. The wave energy still requires reasonable investment to become a viable alternative for electric energy supply, and has been the target for research projects about locations of potential energy and for development of power conversion technologies. The potential of the coast of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) has already been estimated and presents an annual average around 12 kW per meter of wave front. This value is considered reasonable compared to other potential sites in the world, and may represent an interesting addition to the energy supply of the local energy system, which shows a great receptivity to renewable resources. This study aims to assess, in pre-feasibility level, the insertion of wave energy supplies in the interconnected system of the northern coast of RS, based on computer simulations performed with the software HOMER, specially developed for optimization of power generation systems based on renewable resources. The results suggest that projects for harnessing wave energy reach economic feasibility when their specific costs become at least twice the specific costs associated with wind farms.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. / Surfzone wave height transformation and wave-breaking-driven increases in the mean sea level (setup) are examined on alongshore-uniform beaches with alongshore homogeneous and inhomogeneous wave forcing. While previously derived models predict wave heights adequately (root-mean-square errors typically less than 20%), the models can be improved by tuning a free parameter or by using a new parameterization based on the deep-water wave height. Based on a sensitivity analysis of the cross-shore momentum balance used to predict setup, a one-dimensional (1-D) model is developed that includes wave rollers and bottom stress owing to the mean offshore-directed flow. The model predicts setup accurately at three alongshore homogeneous field sites, as well as at a site where the incident wave field is alongshore non-uniform, suggesting that setup is driven primarily by the cross-shore (1-D) forcing. Furthermore, alongshore gradients of setup can be important to driving alongshore flows in the surfzone, and the 1-D setup model predicts these gradients accurately enough to simulate the observed flows. / by Alex Apotsos. / Ph.D.