The Performance Assessment of Wave and Tidal Array Systems (PerAWaT) project, launched in October 2009 with £8m of ETI investment.The project delivered validated, commercial software tools capable of significantly reducing the levels of uncertainty associated with predicting the energy yield of major wave and tidal stream energy arrays. It also produced information that will help reduce commercial risk of future large scale wave and tidal array developments.
This report outlines the methodologies and approach adopted in the development of the core modules of the wave farm model package.
The report is organised in five different sections:Section 1:The potential synergies that can be achieved by developing the core modules in a fashion consistent with standard Garrad Hassan (GH) software architectures are briefly explored.The current architecture ofthe existing wave energy converter (WEC) hydrodynamic modelling tools developed by GH is also described and an overview of the envisaged structure for the tools developed under PerAWaT presented;Section 2: an overview of the wave input to the core modules is presented. Quantities such as the wave spectrum and the key spectral parameters are introduced and defined. Estimation techniques to derive the wave spectrum from real data are also considered, and a preliminary definition of the target capabilities is given;Section 3:The basis of both the frequency and the time-domain models is presented using linear (Airy) wave theory. An introduction to the principles of fluid-structure interaction modelling, with emphasis to the Boundary-Element Method, is given and applications to WEC modelling described in detail. Particular emphasis is given to the practical aspects of solving the time-domain equation of motion, the selection of a supporting hydrodynamic solver and the modelling of the external forces (namely the power take-off force, the mooring force and the impact of the control methodology).The Section is concluded with a review of the current capabilities and a preliminary implementation specification (to be further expanded in WG1 WP1 D1B);Section 4:The optimisation methodology is overviewed and examples of WEC array optimisation exercises conducted to date are reviewed. Different optimisation techniques are presented in preparation of the implementation stage. In addition, three scenarios which correspond to the phased development of the core layout optimiser are introduced, in a preliminary defi...
This report outlines the methodologies and approach adopted in the development of the core modules of the wave farm model package.
The report is organised in five different sections:Section 1:The potential synergies that can be achieved by developing the core modules in a fashion consistent with standard Garrad Hassan (GH) software architectures are briefly explored.The current architecture ofthe existing wave energy converter (WEC) hydrodynamic modelling tools developed by GH is also described and an overview of the envisaged structure for the tools developed under PerAWaT presented;Section 2: an overview of the wave input to the core modules is presented. Quantities such as the wave spectrum and the key spectral parameters are introduced and defined. Estimation techniques to derive the wave spectrum from real data are also considered, and a preliminary definition of the target capabilities is given;Section 3:The basis of both the frequency and the time-domain models is presented using linear (Airy) wave theory. An introduction to the principles of fluid-structure interaction modelling, with emphasis to the Boundary-Element Method, is given and applications to WEC modelling described in detail. Particular emphasis is given to the practical aspects of solving the time-domain equation of motion, the selection of a supporting hydrodynamic solver and the modelling of the external forces (namely the power take-off force, the mooring force and the impact of the control methodology).The Section is concluded with a review of the current capabilities and a preliminary implementation specification (to be further expanded in WG1 WP1 D1B);Section 4:The optimisation methodology is overviewed and examples of WEC array optimisation exercises conducted to date are reviewed. Different optimisation techniques are presented in preparation of the implementation stage. In addition, three scenarios which correspond to the phased development of the core layout optimiser are introduced, in a preliminary defi...