Abstract
The paper deals with phase control as a method of increasing the energy absorption by oscillating water column (OWC) devices, from regular as well as from irregular waves. The power take-off machine considered is a modified version of the self-rectifying axial-flow Wells air turbine, whose rotor blades are of variable setting angle; this allows the air pressure and flow rate to be controlled independently from each other. Results of numerical simulations are presented for three different control strategies applied to energy absorption from irregular waves by an OWC device of simple, two-dimensional geometry. Experimental data from a turbine model are used in the simulation.