Oscillating Water Column is one of the most widely used converting systems all over the world. The operating performance is influenced by the efficiencies of the two converting stages in the OWC chamberturbine integrated system. In order to study the effects of the pressure drop induced by the air turbine, the experiments using the impulse turbine and the orifice device are carried out in the wave simulator test rig. The numerical simulation utilizing the orifice and porous media modules is calculated and validated by the corresponding experimental data. The numerical wave tank based on the two-phase VOF model embedded with the above modules is employed to investigate the wave elevation, pressure variation inside the chamber and the air flow velocity in the duct. The effects of the air turbine on the integrated system and interaction among the wave elevation, pressure and air flow velocities variations are investigated, which demonstrates that the present numerical model are more accurate to be employed.
Wave energy is one of the most promising forms of ocean renewable sources because of its high energy density. The oscillating water column (OWC) device has been widely employed in the wave energy conversion. It comprises a partially submerged air chamber with an opening in the front skirt, and the water column exposes to the incident wave field through the underwater opening. The OWC system includes two energy converting stages:
Waves can force the water column in the chamber to oscillate in the same manner as a simple piston, which will produce the bi-directional air flow in the duct;
Capable of operating in the reversing flow conditions, the Wells turbine or the impulse turbine linked to the electric generator, is generally used to convert the air static and dynamic pressure into the mechanical energy.
