Nonlinear harmonic balance modelling for wave energy converter array layout assessment

DEMIÁN GARCÍA VIOLINI; YERAI PEÑA-SANCHEZ; ANDER ZARKETA; MARKEL PENALBA; NICOLÁS FAEDO; JOHN RINGWOOD

Lisboa

Conferencia; 5th International Conference on Renewable Energies Offshore; 2022

Universidade de Lisboa - Centre for Marine Technology

Wave energy converter (WEC) systems are most likely to be deployed in large arrays in order to reduce the cost of energy associated to them. However, the energy production of such arrays could be negatively affected due to the interactions among the devices of the arrays and, therefore, the layout of such arrays needs to be carefully optimised. Such optimisation is usually carried out using simple hydrodynamic models, neglecting more complex descriptions of the WEC system (such as nonlinear and non-ideal hydrodynamic effects and power take-off systems) and the impact of advanced control. However, the articulation of these effects is crucial, since they strongly impact on overall the behaviour of the whole array, revoking the conclusions drawn from simplistic linear assessments. The present paper suggests the harmonic balance method to assess the behaviour of WEC arrays, which can efficientyly articulate nonlinearities in the WEC. The paper shows that results are identical to the steady-state solution of traditional time-domain simulations, while highlighting the potential to significantly reduce the computational cost.