Modeling ocean waves and investigation of oceanic wave spectra for wave-to-wire system

Abstract

The oceanic wave energy is a profuse and sustainable source of clean energy but its enourmous potential is under-exploited. Even though the idea of energy harnessing from oceanic waves is not new, the developments in wave energy conversion technologies are still in an embryonic stage. In most of the studies associated to wave-to-wire systems, oceanic waves are taken as regular waves with a fixed amplitude and a fixed frequency. The main area of focus of the previous studies includes the different conversion stages of the wave-to-wire system, particularly the mechanical, and the electrical conversion stage of the energy and the modeling of oceanic waves for such studies remained neglected in such studies. However, the actual oceanic waves can be presented with the sum of various frequencies to show a specific sea-states with significant wave height and the peak period as the main characterizing parameters. In this study, detailed mathematical modeling of oceanic waves is offered and various wave spectra are investigated for their application in wave-to-wire-based system studies. The best-suited wave spectra are identified parametrically and thereafter it is used for the generation of wave elevation time series in the proposed method presented in this study. The generated time series are appliesd in wave-to-wire systems for the investigation of wave energy conversion devices to mimic the real sea environment. Based on inverse fast Fourier transforms, oceanic wave elevation time series are determined which will be acting as input data for any of the wave energy converters deployed for the capturing of useable energy.