Abstract
This paper describes the methods developed by Wavegen during the design and development phase of its air turbine suitable for installation into active renewable energy breakwater schemes. The main areas of focus are related to design optimisation, product standardisation and refining manufacture methods to enable development of a commercial product.
Different types of parametric frequency and time domain based models were developed to predict the systems’:
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Power performance
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Structural component performance
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Acoustic performance
Numerical routines and semi empirical relationships were used to generate the characteristic curves for the power take off system. Site generated experimental data was used for validation purposes.
Due to the bespoke nature of the systems involved Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to stress critical components. This information was fed into fatigue analysis routines for component life estimation.
These methods enabled the maximisation of turbine performance, minimisation of construction costs, while ensuring the acoustic signature of the device adhered to international standards under the particular project design constraints imposed. The final product is safe to operate, reliable and easily maintained.