EAPSI: Maximizing the Velocity of Incoming Ocean Waves with Wave-Enhancing Resonance Chambers for Increased Energy Production

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Ocean wave energy will be a critical energy source in the future. It has been shown that velocity in waves can be increased with resonance chambers, increasing the amount of electricity that can be extracted from wave energy turbine harvesters. In the same way that noise reverberates and increases, ocean waves increase when they propagate into a basin of a certain volume at the end of a narrow inlet. These bigger ocean waves have a greater velocity which can turn electric turbines faster, increasing the electricity output from the same resources. Wave turbines are usually deployed in groups. The arrangement of turbines affects fluid flow. This award support research that will determine the ideal arrangement of chambers, when multiple turbines are deployed in an energy farm. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Professor Richard Manasseh at Swinburne University of Technology, a leading researcher in the area of arrays of ocean wave power machines. Research by the PI at the University of Hawai'i has shown that Helmholtz resonators can be used to increase the fluid velocity and energy extracted from ocean waves. Utilization of resonance chambers in wave-energy applications is fairly novel and a natural next step in optimizing wave energy technologies. The next step is to apply these resonators to the type of parallel arrays of wave farms, to determine how to optimize efficiency in wave machines. A series of simulations will be run on three chambers in the Swinburne wave tank. Simulations will be run in which all three arrays have the same dimensions, and also varying the dimensions. Successful tests will be refined as patterns emerge. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the Australian Academy of Science.