Abstract
Wave Energy Converters (WECs) are very often simulated in bi-dimensional waves but a more accurate simulation that represents a more realistic sea state should account for multi-directional waves. In a first approximation directional distribution can be expressed as a Gaussian spreading model. Here we show a simulation of the WaveSub device in multi-directional waves and a visualization of the perturbed field generated. Linear potential flow has been used for this purpose as compared to a CFD method used previously. Nemoh has been used for the hydrodynamic computation and for the calculation of the frequency domain field coefficients. The diffracted and radiated field calculation has been based also on the wave elevation and velocities result of a time domain simulation in WEC-Sim. Then the total perturbed field has been obtained as the sum of the incident, diffracted and radiated fields. Directional spreading has been modelled as a Gaussian spreading model. This result can give a reduced computational cost compared to CFD. The paper also presents a method for perturbed field visualization to show more confidence in the results obtained and this visualization could be used for future benchmarking purposes. Implementation of the multi-directional simulation has been completed in WEC-Sim and this modification to the software has been adopted in the official version. The authors recommend further cross-validation of the model should be carried out as further work.