• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.19 no.6 s.67
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• pp.8-15
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• 2005

Wave energy has been considered to be one of the most promising energy resources for the future, as it is pollution-free and an abundant natural resource. However, since it has drawbacks of non-stationary energy density, it is necessary to change the wave energy into a simple concentrated energy. Progressive waves in a coastal area can be amplified, swashed, and overtopped by a wave overtopping control structure. By conserving the quantity of overflow in a reservoir, the kinetic energy of the waves can be converted to the potential energy with a hydraulic head above the mean sea level. The potential energy in the form of a hydraulic head can be utilized to produce electric power, similar to hydro-electric power generation. This study aims to find the most optimal shape of wave overtopping structure for maximum overtopping volume of sea water; for this purpose, we carried out the wave overtopping experiment in a wave tank, under both regular and irregular wave conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.242-252
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• 2018

It is well known that an Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converter (OWC-WEC) is one of the most efficient wave absorber equipment. This device transforms the vertical motion of water column in the air chamber into the air flow velocity and produces electricity from the driving force of turbine as represented by the Wells turbine. Therefore, in order to obtain high electric energy, it is necessary to amplify the water surface vibration by inducing resonance of the piston mode in the water surface fluctuation in the air chamber. In this study, a new type of OWC-WEC with a seawater channel is used, and the wave deformation by the structure, water surface fluctuation in the air chamber, air outflow velocity from the nozzle and seawater flow velocity in the seawater channel are evaluated by numerical analysis in detail. The numerical analysis model uses open CFD code OLAFLOW model based on multi-phase analysis technique of Navier-Stokes solver. To validate model, numerical results and existing experimental results are compared and discussed. It is revealed within the scope of this study that the air flow velocity at nozzle increases as the Ursell number becomes larger, and the air velocity that flows out from the inside of the air chamber is larger than the velocity of incoming air into the air chamber.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.128-137
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• 2013

Due to the global warming and air pollution, interest in renewable energies has increased in recent years. In particular, the crisis of the depletion of fossil energy resources in the near future has accelerated the renewable energy technologies. Among the renewable energy resources, oceans covering almost three-fourths of earth's surface have an enormous amount of energy. For this reason, various approaches have been made to harness the tremendous energy potential. In order to achieve two purposes: to improve harbor water quality and to use wave energy, this study proposed a sea water exchange structure applying an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave generation system that utilizes the air flow velocity induced by the vertical motion of water column in the air chamber as a driving force of turbine. In particular, the airflow velocity in the air chamber was estimated from the time variations of water surface profile computed by using 3D-NIT model based on the 3-dimensional irregular numerical wave tank. The relationship of the frequency spectrums between the computed airflow velocities and the incident waves was analyzed. This study also discussed the characteristics of frequency spectrums in the air chamber according to the presence of the structure, wave deformations by the structure, and the power of the water and air flows were also investigated. It is found that the phase difference exists in the time series data of water level fluctuations and air flow in the air chamber and the air flow power is superior to the fluid flow power.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 2011

Recently, many studies have been attempted to save the cost of production and to build the ocean energy power generating system. The low-reflection structure with the wall-typed curtain which has a wave power generation system of OWC is known as the most effective energy conversion system. A three-dimensional numerical model was used to understand the characteristics of velocity of flows about compressed air and to estimate the pressure acting on the low-reflection structure due to the short-period waves. The three-dimensional numerical wave flume which is the model for the immiscible two-phase flow was applied in interpretation for this. The numerical simulation showed well about the changes in velocity of compressed air and the characteristics of pressure according to the change in the wave height and depth of the curtain wall. Additionally, the results found that there was the point of the maximum velocity of the compressed air when the reflection coefficient is at its lowest point.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.189-202
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• 2012

An Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave generation system uses the air flow induced by the vertical motion of water column in the air chamber as a driving force of turbine. It is well known that OWC is one of the most efficient devices to harness wave power. This study estimated the air flow velocity from the time variation of the water level fluctuation in the air chamber under regular wave conditions using 3-dimensional numerical irregular wave tank (3D-NIT) model that can simulate the 3-dimensional irregular wave field. The applicability of the 3D-NIT model was validated by comparing numerically predicted air flow velocities with hydraulic experimental results. In addition, the characteristics of air flow frequency spectrum variation due to the incident frequency spectrum change, and the variations of frequency spectrum and wave reflection due to the existence of converter inside the air chamber were discussed. It is found that the phase difference exists in between the air flow velocity and the water level fluctuation inside the air chamber, and the peak frequency of the spectrum in water level fluctuation is amplified by the resonance in the air chamber.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.167.1-167.1
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• 2011

Sustainable energy generation is becoming extremely imperative due to the expected limitations in current energy resources and to reduce pollution. Especially, because of its considerable energy potential, ocean wave energy has been investigated with regard to power generation. To develop large high power wave generator system, it is important to make a small scale proto type and to test that. Thus the objective of this research is to examine the characteristics of a mechanically excited generator system having small power capacity experimentally. The water reservoir (4 m length, 1.5 m width and 1.8 m depth) having a wave maker to make arbitrary height and period of the water wave was made. The proto type consists of three main parts; a buoy, rack-pinion base one-way mechanism, and a wave generator(Fig.1). The water wave is going up and down and the hexahedron buoy is following the wave. The rack gear attached to the buoy is also going up and down to roll the pinion connected to an electric generator then it produces electricity. The experiments were performed with several conditions of water waves, and the power outputs over 30 W could be measured for some conditions. In future works, to achieve higher performance for the proto type, the effects of primary parameters (buoy shape and mass, etc.) on the system efficiency will be identified.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.688-695
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• 2017

This paper deals with characteristics analysis of a permanent magnet (PM) linear generator using analytical methods for wave energy harvesting. The wave energy is carried out from the movement of a yo-yo system. A linear generator using permanent magnets to generate a magnetic force itself does not require a separate power supply and has the advantage of simple maintenance. In addition to the use of a rare earth, a permanent magnet having a high-energy density can be miniaturized and lightweight, and can obtain high energy-conversion efficiency. We derived magnetic field solutions produced by the permanent magnet and armature reaction based on 2D polar coordinates and magnetic vector potential. Induced voltage is obtained via arbitrary sinusoidal input. In addition, electrical parameters are obtained, such as back-EMF constant, resistance, and self- and mutual-winding inductances. The space harmonic method used in this paper is confirmed by comparing it with finite element method (FEM) results. These facilitate the characterization of the PM-type linear generator and provide a basis for comparative studies, design optimization, and machine dynamic modeling.