Publications Details

Statistical Analysis of a 1:7 Scale Field Test Wave Energy Converter Using WEC-Sim

So, Ratanak; Michelen, Carlos; Bosma, Bret; Lenee-Bluhm, Pukha; Brekken, Ted K.A.

This study uses the open-source wave energy converter simulator (WEC-Sim) code to model the Columbia Power Technologies SeaRay 1:7 scale WEC. WEC-Sim is intended to run quickly on standard desktop equipment and provide a very gentle learning curve for WEC modeling. This paper focuses on the linear implementation of WEC-Sim as that requires the least simulation time and is often the starting point for basic system design. WEC-Sim results are compared against the SeaRay experimental data. Two studies were conducted: A comparison of WEC-Sim predications versus experimental data across 285 trials of varying sea states to determine the overall average power and energy production; and a determination of WEC-Sim's accuracy in predicting the experimental ranges of position, speed, torque, and power. The study of average power production across many sea states shows that the WEC-Sim predicts the average power of the aft float well, within 15%, but the error in the fore float is larger at 34%. The error in total predicted power is 24%. The detailed analysis of range of motion shows WEC-Sim predicted 95th percentile outliers (which dominate the design considerations) in position, speed, and torque by +15%, +14%, and +17%, respectively, for the fore float and - 1%, - 9%, and -6%, respectively, for the aft float.