• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.250-254
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• 2013

In this research, the linear electrical generator in wave energy farm utilizing resonance power buoy system is studied. The mechanical resonance characteristics of the buoy and the wave are analyzed to maximize the kinetic energy in a relatively small wave energy area where WRPS is operated. In this research, we chose an analog model of the linear electrical generator of which size is one-hundredth of an actual size of it in WPRS (Wave energy farm utilizing Resonance Power buoy System) prior to verifying the characteristics of actual model of linear electrical generator in WRPS. In addition, the finite element analysis is conducted using commercial electromagnetic analysis software named MAXWELL to examine the electric characteristic of linear generator. Finally, for the verification of dynamic and electric characteristics of linear generator, the prototype was manufactured and the experiments to measure the displacement and the output electric power were performed.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.435-447
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• 2019

Energy Flow Finite Element Analysis (EFFEA) is a promising tool for predicting dynamic energetics of complicated structures at high frequencies. In this paper, the Energy Flow Finite Element (EFFE) formulation of complicated Mindlin plates was newly developed to improve the accuracy of prediction of the dynamic characteristics in the high frequency. Wave transmission analysis was performed for all waves in complicated Mindlin plates. Advanced Energy Flow Analysis System (AEFAS), an exclusive EFFEA software, was implemented using $MATLAB^{(R)}$. To verify the general power transfer relationship derived, wave transmission analysis of coupled semi-infinite Mindlin plates was performed. For numerical verification of EFFE formulation derived and EFFEA software developed, numerical analyses were performed for various cases where coupled Mindlin plates were excited by a harmonic point force. Energy flow finite element solutions for coupled Mindlin plates were compared with the energy flow solutions in the various conditions.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.38-45
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• 2008

Development of high efficiency turbine with good performance is one of the main topics in the field of developing wave energy converter. For the development and improvement of the turbine performance, the effect of wave condition on the turbine performance should be considered in detail. Also, water depth is an important factor because incident wave power to the turbine is considerably influenced by the wave particle amplitude of motion and the amplitude is closely related with the water depth. Therefore, in this study, the effect of water depth on the performance of a direct drive turbine(DDT) for wave energy converter is investigated using the DDT which is installed in two types of wave channel. The experimental results show that the DDT captures more wave energy under the condition of relatively shallow water depth. When the water depth is shallow, the horizontal water particle amplitude of motion becomes wider and thus, the water power toward the turbine becomes larger.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

In order to convert wave energy into large quantities of high-efficiency power, it is necessary to study the optimal converter system appropriate for the environment of a specific open ocean area. A wave energy converter system with a counterweight converts the translation energy induced from the heave motion of a buoy into rotary energy. This experimental study evaluated the primary energy conversion efficiency of the system, which was installed on an ocean generating basin with a power take-off system. Moreover, this study analyzed the energy conversion performance according to the weight condition of the buoy, counter-weight, and flywheel by changing the load torque and wave period. Therefore, these results could be useful as basic data such as for the optimal design of a wave energy converter with a counterweight and improved energy conversion efficiency.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2022

In this paper, a pitch-type wave energy converter (WEC-rotor) is investigated in irregular wave conditions for the real sea testing at the west coast of Jeju Island, South Korea. The present research builds on and extends our previous work on regular waves to irregular waves. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the WEC-rotor are assessed by establishing a quasi-two-dimensional numerical wave tank using computational fluid dynamics by solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation. The numerical solution is validated with physical experiments, and the comparison shows good agreement. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic performance of the WEC-rotor is explored by investigating the effect of the power take-off (PTO) loading torque by one-way and two-way systems, the wave height, the wave period, operational and high sea wave conditions. Irrespective of the sea wave conditions, the absorbed power is quadratic in nature with the one-way and two-way PTO loading systems. The power absorption increases with the wave height, and the increment is rapid and mild in the two-way and one-way PTO loading torques, respectively. The pitch response amplitude operator increases as the wave period increases until the maximum value and then decreases. For a fixed PTO loading, the power and efficiency are higher in the two-way PTO loading system than in the one-way PTO loading system at different wave periods.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2010

Wave energy is dissipated mainly by friction on the seabed until the waves reach the surf zone. Many researchers have investigated the mechanism of wave friction and the bottom shear stress induced by wave motion at a certain point is now well estimated by introducing the wave friction factor related to the near bed velocity given by linear wave theory. The variation of wave energy or wave height over a long distance can be, however, estimated by an iteration process when the propagation of waves is strongly influenced by bed friction. In the present study simple semi-theoretical equation has been developed to compute the variation of wave height for the condition of wave propagation on a constant beach slope. The ratio of wave height is determined by the product of shoalng factor and wave height friction factor (frictional wave energy dissipation factor). The wave height estimated by the new equation is compared with the wave height estimated by the solution of numerical integration for the condition that the waves propagate on a constant slope.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.552-558
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• 2011

A 50 kW class rotating body type wave energy converter consisted of two floating bodies and a PTO (Power Takeoff) unit is studied. As an wave energy extractor, the body is designed to have a VLCO (Variable Liquid-Column Oscillator) having a liquid filled U-tube with air chambers. Owing to the oscillation of the liquid in the U-tube caused by the air spring effect of the air chambers, the amplitude of response of the VLCO becomes significantly amplified for a target wave period. The PTO converts the rotational moment introduced from the relative motion of the hinged bodies to an hydraulic power by means of a cylinder. A high pressure accumulator, hydraulic motor and a generator are equipped in the PTO to convert the hydraulic power to electric power. A control law for adjusting the oscillation period of the VLCO is proposed for the efficient operation of the VLCO with various wave conditions. It is found that the effect of the air spring has an important role to play in making the oscillation of the VLCO match with the ocean wave. In this way, the wave energy converter equipped with the VLCO provides the most effective mode for extracting energy from the ocean wave.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.388-397
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• 2010

A two-dimensional time-domain, potential-theory-based fully nonlinear numerical wave tank (NWT) was developed by using boundary element method and the mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian (MEL) approach for free-surface node treatment. The NWT was applied to prediction of primary wave energy conversion efficiency of a bottom-mounted oscillating water column (OWC) wave power device. The nonlinear free-surface condition inside the chamber was specially devised to represent the pneumatic pressure due to airflow velocity and viscous energy loss at the chamber entrance due to wave column motion. The newly developed NWT technique was verified through comparison with given experimental results. The maximum energy extraction was estimated with various chamber-air duct volume ratios.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.600-605
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• 2009

A general purpose viscous flow solver Ansys CFX is used to study a Savonius type wave energy converter in a 3D numerical viscous wave tank. This paper presents the results of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the effect of blade configuration on the performance of 3 bladed Savonius rotors for wave energy extraction. A piston-type wave generator was incorporated in the computational domain to generate the desired incident waves. A complete OWC system with a 3-bladed Savonius rotor was modeled in a three dimensional numerical wave tank and the hydrodynamic conversion efficiency was estimated. The flow over the rotors is assumed to be two-dimensional (2D), viscous, turbulent and unsteady. The CFX code is used with a solver of the coupled conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy, with an implicit time scheme and with the adoption of the hexahedral mesh and the moving mesh techniques in areas of moving surfaces. Turbulence is modeled with the k.e model. Simulations were carried out simultaneously for the rotor angle and the helical twist. The results indicate that the developed models are suitable to analyze the water flows both in the chamber and in the turbine. For the turbine, the numerical results of torque were compared for all the cases.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.47-58
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• 1983

A study is made, in the framework of linear potential theory, to investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics of two-dimensional wave-energy absorbers as like the Salter's duck and an oscillating cam with Lewis-form section, which undergo uncoupled heaving and rolling motions in an incident linear gravity wave in deep water. Wave energy is supposed to be extracted by a linearly damped generator with an spring. Some well-known formulae in ship hydrodynamics such as Haskind-Newman relation and Bessho-Newman relation are utilized in forms of Kochin functions to derived expressions for efficiency, breaking effect and drift force of the absorber. Maximum ideal efficiency of 100% can be arrived at an prescribed tuning frequency. Coupling effect is also examined to assess the detrimental effect of sway on efficiency. From numerical calculations for both types of two-dimensional devices it may be concluded that a wave-energy absorber functions at the same time as a wave breaker and that the drift force acting on the device becomes smaller when it absorbs wave energy than as it oscillates freely. Finally the study is extended to an infinite array system, equivalent to a body in a canal, to show that all incident wave energy can be absorbed regardless of the absorber's size, only if the optimum space and the optimum condition of control are realized.