• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.327-348
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• 2013

An Oscillating Water Column (OWC) is a relatively practical and convenient device that converts wave energy to a usable form, which is electricity. The OWC is kept inside a fixed truncated vertical cylinder, which is a hollow structure with one open end submerged in the water and with an air turbine at the top. This research adopts potential theory and Galerkin methods to solve the fluid motion inside the OWC. Using an air-water interaction model, OWC design for energy extraction from regular wave is also explored. The hydrodynamic coefficients of the scattering and radiation potentials are solved for using the Galerkin approximation. The numerical results for the free surface elevation have been verified by a series of experiments conducted in the University of New Orleans towing tank. The effect of varying geometric parameters on the response amplitude operator (RAO) of the OWC is studied and modification of the equation for evaluating the natural frequency of the OWC is made. Using the model of air-water interaction under certain wave parameters and OWC geometric parameters, a computer program is developed to calculate the energy output from the system.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.216-228
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• 2021

In the present study, the performance of a floating oscillating water column (OWC) device has been studied in regular waves. The OWC model has the shape of a hollow cylinder. The linear potential theory is assumed, and a matched eigenfunction expansion method(MEEM) is applied for solving the diffraction and radiation problems. The radiation problem involves the radiation of waves by the heaving motion of a floating OWC device and the oscillating pressure in the air chamber. The characteristics of the exciting forces, hydrodynamic forces, flow rate, air pressure in the chamber, and heave motion response are investigated with various system parameters, such as the inner radius, draft of an OWC, and turbine constant. The efficiency of a floating OWC device is estimated in connection with the extracted wave power and capture width. Specifically, the piston-mode resonance in an internal fluid region plays an important role in the performance of a floating OWC device, along with the heave motion resonance. The developed prediction tool will help determine the various design parameters affecting the performance of a floating OWC device in waves.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2010

The wave energy absorption efficiency and the first-order and the time-mean second-order wave loads of a three-dimensional bottom-mounted oscillating water column (OWC) chamber structure are studied. The potential problem is solved by making use of a hybrid Green integral equation associated with the finite-waterdepth free-surface Green function outside a twin chamber and the Rankine Green function inside taking account of the fluctuating air pressure inside the chamber. Numerical results of the primary wave energy converting efficiency and the oscillating and steady wave loads of a three-dimensional bottom-mounted OWC pilot plant have been presented.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.729-735
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• 2012

The primary wave energy conversion by a three-dimensional bottom-mounted oscillating water column (OWC) wave power device in regular waves has been studied. The linear potential boundary value problem has been solved following the boundary matching method. The optimum shape parameters such as the chamber length and the depth of the front skirt of the OWC chamber obtained through two-dimensional numerical tests in the frequency domain have been applied in the design of the present OWC chamber. Time-mean wave power converted by the OWC device and the time-mean second-order wave forces on the OWC chamber structure have been presented for different wave incidence angles in the frequency-domain. It has been shown that the peak period of $P_m$ for the optimum damping parameter coincides with the peak period of the time.mean wave drift force when ${\gamma}=0$.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.19-27
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• 2002

The motion of a floating OWC chamber in waves is studied taking account of fluctuating air pressure in the air chamber. An atmospheric pressure drop occurs across the upper opening of the chamber which causes not only hydrodynamic but also pneumatic added mass and damping forces to the floating chamber. A velocity potential in the water due to the free surface oscillating pressure patch is added to the conventional radiation-diffraction potential problem. the potential problem inside the chamber is formulated by making use of the Green integral equation associated with the Rankine Green function wile the outer problem with the Kelvin Green function. The two integral equations are solved simultaneously by making use of a matching boundary condition at the lower opening of the chamber to the outer water region. The chamber motion in the frequency domain is calculated for various values of parameters related to the atmospheric pressure drop. The present methods can also be sued for the analysis of air-cushion vehicle motion as well as for the design of a floating OWC wave energy absorber.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.401-409
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• 2023

Oscillating water column (OWC) type wave power generator system is a power generation system that uses wave energy, a sustainable and renewable energy source. Irregular cycles and wave heights act as factors that make it difficult to secure generation efficiency of the wave power generator system. Recently, research for improving power generation efficiency is being conducted by applying digital twin technology to OWC type wave energy converter system. However, digital twin using sensor data can predict erroneous performance due to uncertainty in the sensor data. Therefore, this study proposes an uncertainty analysis method for sensor data which is used in digital twin to secure the reliability of digital twin prediction results. Uncertainty quantification considering sensor data characteristics and future uncertainty information according to uncertainty propagation were derived mathematically, and confidence interval estimation was performed based on the proposed method.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.470-475
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• 2019

This paper deals with a 30kW grid-connected PCS (Power Conversion System) for an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave-power generation system. Wave power generation in marine energy is suitable for Korea with the characteristics of a peninsula with three sides facing the sea. In the case of coastal disasters, wave generators can act as a breakwater to reduce damage, and can be integrated with other marine power generation systems to increase efficiency. Wave power generation systems are classified into various types, such as oscillating bodies, OWC, and overtopping according to the operation principle, and they can also be classified into two types according to the installation method: a fixed structure and floating structure. This paper proposes a 30kW grid-connected PCS topology and model for OWC wave power generation that is structurally stable with a turbine and generator that are relatively easy to maintain, and then provide a control method required for grid connection, including DC link voltage control. Simulation verification was performed to verify the proposed PCS.

• 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 Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.33-38
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• 2012

The aim of this experimental study was to analyze the effect of the shape parameters and chamber pressure of a land-based oscillating water column (OWC) in regular incident waves. The magnitude of the free surface elevations inside the chamber was measured in a two-dimensional wave tank for various chamber skirt drafts and bottom slope angles. The surface elevations were also measured under both open chamber and partially open chamber conditions. From these measurements, the optimum shape of the OWC device could be predicted for the maximum wave energy conversion efficiency. It was found that the resonance frequency of the OWC system associated with incident waves moved toward the long wave region with increments of the draft of the chamber skirt and bottom slope. The behavior of the free surface elevation inside the chamber was also found to be dependent on the chamber pressure.

• 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.