Assessment of Ocean Waves at Full and Model Scale
Abstract
Abstract With the increasing rise in fuel costs and recognized green-house gas impacts of combustion, there is increasing attention being paid to alternative sources of energy; with the conversion of ocean wave energy to useable power for supporting coastal communities from a seemingly limitless resource as one potential means for reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. The conversion of ocean wave energy to a mechanical power suitable for electrical generation is nontrivial, with a long history of challenges resulting from the rigor of designing and maintaining equipment in the ocean environment. One technical challenge central to any wave energy conversion devices is the wide range of ocean sea state conditions; typically characterized by a directional wave spectrum. Simply put, many systems are designed for narrow band spectra and are challenged by the broad bandwidth of ocean wavelengths and the variation of energy within the different bands. As wave energy conversion designs mature, scale model assessments will be required in large wave basins as part of the technical design process. This proposal outlines an effort to support these efforts through assessing available full-scale ocean wave spectra, and comparing with data generated from large scale wave basins. The resulting research will provide a better foundation for laboratory testing ocean wave energy conversion systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512696
Entities
People
- Eric Terrill
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, San Diego