Hydrodynamic performance of a three-unit heave wave energy converter array under different arrangement

A pile-restrained floating wave energy converter (WEC) array is proposed as an alternative to a single floater of the size of the array for use as a floating breakwater. The hydrodynamics of the WEC are modelled based on the Navier-Stokes equations and the model is verified by comparing its results with existing experimental data. The model then is used to characterize the array composed by a line of three WECs in terms of floater heaving, wave energy conversion, wave reflection, transmission and dissipation, for different layouts.

In the examined array configuration, the aligned arrays exhibit superior performance compared to the staggered arrays, comprehensively considering both wave energy conversion and wave transmission. Specifically, when khi > 1.73, the wave energy conversion efficiency of the aligned array with a spacing of 0.1 times the WEC width ranges from 0.141 to 0.330, while the wave transmission coefficient ranges from 0.187 to 0.472, indicating the effectiveness of the arrays in simultaneously reducing wave transmission and converting wave energy under shorter-wavelength conditions. Compared to a single WEC of the same dimensions, the array exhibits a remarkable increase in wave energy conversion efficiency and effectively reduce wave reflection.