An assessment of the Trade-Off Between Energetic Efficiency and Structural Integrity in Wave Energy Converters

Abstract

A computational tool is developed to investigate the trade-off between the energetic response and the structural integrity in Wave Energy Converters (WECs) for irregular waves. The computational model takes into account the environmental parameters and the properties of the WECs, and calculates the extracted wave power and the accumulated fatigue damage in a specific incident sea state. The hydrodynamic and the structural problems are solved using analytical and structural-finite element models, respectively. The methodology is exemplified for a specific bottom-fixed Oscillating Water Column with an optimal configuration and different energetic content sea states. The results reveal the importance of taking into account the trade-off between the extracted wave power and the accumulated fatigue damage to support decision-making in the predesign stage to provide better solutions for marine renewable energy applications. In the framework of the structure monitored using Internet-Of-Things, this computational tool can lead to a digital twin within the context of structural integrity.