Abstract
In the current stage of the wave energy industry, experimental wave tank testing forms an integral part of WEC device development. The knowledge and expertise acquired by Aquamarine Power was developed in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), with whom the company had a long standing relationship, and this report documents the experiences and lessons gained from over 10 years of wave tank testing in the development of Oyster.
Experiences cover a range of activities through the whole design process, from early concept development through to full-scale model validation. The common themes presented include tank calibration, performance and load testing, installation and decommissioning testing, correlations between a scaled model and full-scale prototype, and the development of new concepts. In addition to the lessons learnt by Aquamarine Power, the report also gives a critical review and assessment of the existing tank testing standards documents.