School of Mathematical Sciences

Broadband energy capture by an array of heaving buoys

Date(s)
Wednesday 17th July 2024 (15:00-16:00)
Contact
Event Convenor Contact: Martin.Richter@nottingham.ac.uk
Description
Speaker's Name: Luke Bennetts
Speaker's Affiliation: University of Adelaide
Speaker's Research Theme(s): Wave modelling,Fluid mechanics
Abstract:
Broadband energy capture is sought by grading the resonant properties of an array of heaving buoy-type wave energy converters (WECs) in 2D, thereby extending recent work by Wilks et al. (2022, J Fluid Mech) to a WEC-array. Linear potential-flow theory is applied and WEC interactions are modelled using multiple-wave scattering theory in the frequency domain. The resonant properties of WECs are tuned via a linear spring-damper power take-off mechanism. Bloch-Floquet theory is applied to determine the grading of WEC-resonances (controlled via the PTO spring terms) which prevents transmission on the targeted power capture interval. Near-perfect absorption at individual frequencies is then obtained by manipulating the complex-frequency zeros of the reflection coefficient through the extraction of incident energy (using the PTO damping terms). The resulting graded array captures near-perfect absorption (>98% of incident energy) from a targeted band of wavelengths spanning twice the array's length. Additionally, the grading of the WEC-array can be optimised to achieve near-perfect, broadband absorption. Forcing by a transient wave packet is considered to demonstrate the temporal behaviour of the array."

Venue: UP-Phys-C27

School of Mathematical Sciences

The University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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