离岸式振荡水柱串联气室三维仿真分析

3D Simulation Analysis of Series Air Chamber for Offshore Oscillating Water Column

振荡水柱(oscillating water column,OWC)波浪能采集装置气室结构优化对波浪能采集效率具有重要意义,采用计算流体动力学分析(CFD)技术研究了气室尺寸和结构的优化问题。应用FLUENT软件水质点造波法和动量源项消波方法建立基于线性波浪理论的三维数值波浪水槽。模拟在周期T=3.5s波浪下对单气室尺寸优化,在此基础上建立三维双气室和三气室串联模型研究各气室内水动力变化规律。结果显示:在一定尺寸范围内增大气室开口以及合适的气室高度可增大气室波浪振动幅度,提高波能转换效率;串联气室中,先与波浪发生作用的气室比后与波浪发生作用的气室水动力性能好。

The optimization of the gas chamber structure of oscillation water column （OWC） can greatly improve the wave energy harvesting efficiency. This paper studied the optimization of gas chamber size and structure with computational fluid dynamics （CFD） analysis. A 3D numerical wave sink model based on the linear wave theory was established with water particle wave-generating method and momentum source wave-absorbing method. The size of single air chamber was optimized within the wave period of 3.5 s by simulation.A 3D model of double and three-chamber series was established based on the singleair chamber results to analyze the variation of hydrodynamic forces in each chamber. The results show that the increase of opening size and proper height of the chamber can increase the wave amplitude in the chamber and the energy conversion efficiency and that in series air chambers, the hydrodynamic performance of the first air chamber is better than that of the ones that follow.