Simulation Based Design of a Small-scale Point Absorber Type Wave Energy Converter with Improved Performance for Sri Lankan Power Generation Applications

As a solution to the world energy crisis, which is becoming more alarming at present than ever before, people are moving towards greener or renewable energy sources. Among various renewable energy sources, ocean wave energy has gained a significant attention for quite some time, leading to the development of many different techniques. However, still most of these designs have not become commercially viable, mainly due to shortcomings in the designs and the low efficiency of Wave Energy Converters (WECs). Accordingly, the aim of this research was to design a point absorber type WEC to extract energy of ocean waves more efficiently. In this research, design of a WEC having a small-scale capacity of 1 kW having a buoy and a flap was optimised to harvest the maximum possible amount of energy from the sea waves, while complying with marine design standards and Sri Lankan local wave conditions. Extensive numerical simulations were done using the open-source software DualSPHysics leading to the selection of the best suitable flap design, which is of a rectangular shape with perpendicular fins to harvest energy at a peak efficiency of 88% and with improved hydrodynamics. The experimental validation of this has to be done in the future to validate the simulation results. With such further improvements, it can be expected that this WEC design will be a useful benchmarking study for the stakeholders who wish to design WECs for Sri Lankan wave energy conditions aiming to generate renewable energy.