Abstract
Physical modelling is a crucial tool for the development of marine renewable energy (MRE) devices and is recommended in most development guidelines and laboratory testing standards. This chapter presents the basic concepts and common practices which should be considered when performing physical modelling of an MRE device. It focuses on the physical modelling of a device's interaction with wave and current loading. The chapter describes the similitude laws and scaling concept and goes into model design and construction techniques, including the different techniques used to represent the power take‐off (PTO) of the device. It defines the different techniques commonly used to represent real fixings or moorings at a model scale and presents the different test facilities commonly used for physical modelling of MRE devices. Most wave generation systems used in the physical modelling of MRE devices can be fitted into two broad categories: flap paddles and pistons paddles. physical modelling, marine renewable energy, power take‐off, flap paddles, pistons paddles, wave generation systems.
This is a chapter from Wave and Tidal Energy.