A System to Make Use of Existing Breakwaters as Overtopping Wave Energy Converters (original) (raw)
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INNOVATIVE BREAKWATERS DESIGN FOR WAVE ENERGY CONVERSION
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The Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC) is a new typology of overtopping wave energy converter (OTD) integrated into a traditional rubble mound breakwater. The device can be considered as an innovative non-conventional breakwater that has the same functions as the traditional structures with the added-valued of the energy production. The paper presents a comprehensive overview of the OBREC, offering a synthesis of the complete design process, from the results of the two complementary test campaigns in small scale carried out in 2012 and 2014 at Aalborg University, to the description of the full-scale device installed in Naples in 2016. The device represents the first OTD device in full-scale integrated into an existing rubble mound breakwater and it has been equipped by an instrumental apparatus to measure its response to the wave interaction. The monitoring of the full-scale device in the port of Naples, particularly during storm conditions, is aimed to study the s...
Energy, 2020
Ocean waves constitute an abundant source of clean and predictable energy, with the potential to partly replace carbon intensive energy sources. At present, several technologies to convert wave energy into electricity are being developed, but those suitable for integration into port breakwaters present additional advantages. This paper presents a novel concept that combines two well-known wave energy conversion principles, an oscillating water column and a multi-reservoir overtopping system. This hybrid concept was designed to be integrated in rubble-mound breakwaters, having as case study Leixões' northern breakwater, Portugal. The performance and efficiency of the single components were assessed separately as well as that of the hybrid module as a whole, to demonstrate the advantages of their combination into a single unit. Furthermore, the annual energy production was estimated for a 20 m wide hybrid module considering the local metocean conditions. Results showed that overall efficiency amounted to circa 44.4%, the wave-to-wire efficiency to 27.3% and the annual electricity production was estimated at 35 MWh/m. Considering that 240 m of the reference breakwater are used, the developed hybrid module could provide approximately 50% of the electricity consumption of the Port of Leixões, which demonstrates the potential and interest of the developed technology.
Experimental Study of a Hybrid Wave Energy Converter Integrated in a Harbor Breakwater
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Sea ports are infrastructures with substantial energy demands and often responsible for air pollution and other environmental problems, which may be minimized by using renewable energy, namely electricity harvested from ocean waves. In this regard, a wide variety of concepts to harvest wave energy are available and some shoreline technologies are already in an advanced development phase. The SE@PORTS project aims to assess the suitability and viability of existing wave energy conversion technologies to be integrated in harbor breakwaters, in order to take advantage of their high exposure to ocean waves. This paper describes the experimental study carried out to assess the performance of a hybrid wave energy converter (WEC) integrated in the rubble-mound structure that was proposed for the extension of the North breakwater of the Port of Leixões, Portugal. The hybrid concept combines the overtopping and the oscillating water column principles and was tested on a geometric scale of 1/...
Performance Assessment of a Hybrid Wave Energy Converter Integrated into a Harbor Breakwater
Energies, 2020
Seaports are highly energy demanding infrastructures and are exposed to wave energy, which is an abundant resource and largely unexploited. As a result, there has been a rising interest in integrating wave energy converters (WEC) into the breakwaters of seaports. The present work analyzes the performance of an innovative hybrid WEC module combining an oscillating water column (OWC) and an overtopping device (OWEC) integrated into a rubble mound breakwater, based on results of a physical model study carried out at a geometrical scale of 1:50. Before the experimental tests, the device's performance was numerically optimized using ANSYS Fluent and WOPSim v3.11. The wave power captured by the hybrid WEC was calculated and the performance of the two harvesting principles discussed. It was demonstrated that hybridization could lead to systems with higher efficiencies than its individual components, for a broader range of wave conditions. The chosen concepts were found to complement each other: the OWEC was more efficient for the lower wave periods tested and the OWC for the higher. Consequently, the power production of the hybrid WEC was found to be less dependent on the wave's characteristics.
Development and Assessment of a Hybrid Breakwater-Integrated Wave Energy Converter
International Marine Energy Journal
Harnessing and using marine renewable energy at seaports is a promising solution to put these energy-intensive infrastructures on the right track to energy self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability, reducing their carbon footprint. This paper presents a summary of the main conclusions and achievements of a recently concluded R&D project that encompassed the experimental study of an innovative hybrid wave energy converter integrated into a case-study rubble-mound breakwater in the Port of Leixões, Portugal. It also describes the prospective studies planned in two ongoing projects, PORTOS – Ports Towards Energy Self-Sufficiency and WEC4Ports – A hybrid Wave Energy Converter for Ports, intended to further develop and assess this promising technology. It has been demonstrated that its wave-to-wire efficiency and annual energy production are 27.3% and 35.0 MWh/m per year, respectively, for the case-study location. Hence, a 240 m long device could provide more than half of the por...
Wave energy device and breakwater integration: A review
Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2017
One of the most abundant energy sources exists in this world is the ocean wave energy. By far, it has shown to be the most clean, renewable, predicted energy and has raised the potential to compete with the current use of nonrenewable energy sources. Recent research conducted on wave energy invention has opened a new dimension to slowly reduce the dependency on fossil fuel by introducing new technology on the renewable world but relatively lacking in economical aspect. This review brings the latest status on integration of wave energy device with other marine facilities, which is the breakwater structure that may possibly aid to cost sharing. Most researches done on this field highlighted countries experiencing rough sea condition and focused less on countries with medium wave condition as faced by the Asian continent. The potential for energy extraction and wave dissipation for medium wave condition will be discussed in this review by considering several aspects including reliability, effectiveness and performance. Finally, this review shows that the integration opens up a new dimension to acknowledge the technology harnessing ocean wave, especially for the Asian countries experiencing medium wave condition.
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 2020
A numerical model for the optimization of the performance of an innovative overtopping breakwater for wave energy conversion is proposed. The model is based on the stochastic description of the overtopping phenomenon based on the results of extensive laboratory tests, and it is able to simulate the behavior of the device operating under any assigned sequence of sea states, thus allowing to easily obtain results that would otherwise require time consuming and costly physical model tests. The model is used here to identify the main geometrical parameters affecting the performance of the device and to optimize such parameters in order to maximize the average yearly output power. An application to a device embedded in the breakwater of Pantelleria Port (Sicily, Italy) is presented. The model is also proved to be useful to verify the possibility of further increasing the output power through the implementation of specific control strategies concerning the operation of the turbines. The w...
Coastal structures, 2019
As environmental and scarcity issues related to the use of fossil fuels become increasingly pressing, renewable energy sources are becoming a competitive and sustainable alternative. As a result, new ways of harvesting clean and renewable energy are being actively pursued, such as wave energy, which remains largely untapped. Conversely, seaports are considerable air polluters and have significant energy needs, therefore benefiting from a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy mix. Breakwaters in seaports are prime locations to implement wave energy converters, as they are usually directly exposed to highly energetic sea-states. The SE@PORTS project proposes to demonstrate the advantages of merging wave energy converters (WECs) into seaports' breakwaters by researching the integration of a hybrid WEC for two case studies, the Port of Leixões, Portugal, and the Port of Las Palmas, Spain. This paper describes the experimental study carried out at a geometrical scale of 1/50 to assess the energetic performance of a hybrid WEC designed having as reference the extension of the North breakwater of the Port of Leixões and evaluate its impact on the breakwater's effectiveness and structural stability, focusing on the functionality and stability analysis. The modular device combines the overtopping and the oscillating water column principles, and it is estimated that the wave-to-wire efficiency is around 35%. The mean overtopping flow over the structure was quantified and the damage number N od was calculated. The device's estimated annual energy production is promising, although preventive measures must be enforced to mitigate the negative structural impact on the breakwater.