Reusing existing ship structures for large capacity wave energy conversion (RESWEC)

该项目的目的是评估一系列现有油轮的结构改造的可行性，以支持一系列振荡水柱的大容量波能转换。与任何复杂的项目面临着一些工程的不确定性，一种方法来降低风险的每个项目的子任务已经开发。技术方法将以已知技术和可衡量的数量为基础，为所遇到的挑战提出现实和务实的解决办法。通过从现有船舶开始，有机会重新使用设计和建造大型远洋船舶所需的工程专业知识和财务支出。建议的修改必须确保保持原始强度，主要载荷由替代构件承载，其中原始连续性必须被破坏以安装OWC室。将开发几种配置，以选择最合适的配置。新的布局和细节将用于计算和评估修改后的布局的完整稳定性特性。已经考虑了几个替代的研究和开发计划，但由于复合风险的指数性质而被拒绝。通过关注整个概念，即试图在一个建议中解决与OWC操作、PTO、发电和海军建筑问题有关的所有挑战，项目成功的风险将固有地增加。这种风险无法通过以有条不紊的方式解决每个主要子组的方式来缓解，而且还存在进一步的技术和经济风险，即关注不足可能会产生不可靠的解决方案。该项目的核心技术问题之一是预测船体的结构载荷，这种船体不仅在底部具有多个开口，而且当波能通过空气涡轮机转换成气动能时，在模型比例下，由孔板表示。纯粹的分析/数值方法来预测这样的负载将是非常危险的情况下，这个特别具有挑战性的流体-结构相互作用的问题，提出了空气和水的界面。只有经过深思熟虑的实验方法才能为海军设计师提供评估拟议概念可行性所需的初始数据集。该项目将由Protean Wave Technology Ltd（PWT）领导，并将详细的工作包委托给每个领域最具专业知识的各方。PWT将管理该项目，与Innovate UK就财务事宜进行沟通，并报告项目交付成果。PWT将协调并提供结构和稳定性分析，同时与克兰菲尔德大学的团队就测试计划保持联系并密切合作。

The aim of the project is to assess the feasibility of the structural modifications of a range of existing oil tankers to support an array of oscillating water columns for large capacity wave energy conversion.As with any complex project facing a number of engineering uncertainties, a methodology to de-risk each of the project sub-tasks has been developed. The technical approach will build upon known technologies and measurable quantities to produce realistic and pragmatic solutions to the challenges encountered. By starting with an existing ship, there is an opportunity to reuse the engineering expertise, and financial outlay, required to design and build a large seagoing vessel. Proposed modifications must ensure that the original strength will be maintained, with the primary loading carried by alternative members where the original continuity must be disrupted for installation of the OWC chambers. Several configurations will be developed leading to a selection of the most suitable. The new arrangement and particulars will then be used to calculate and assess the intact stability characteristics of the modified configuration. Several alternative research and development plans have been considered, but then rejected, due to the exponential nature of compounding risk. By focusing on the concept in its entirety, i.e. attempting to solve all of the challenges relating to OWC operation, PTO, electrical generation and naval architectural questions in a single proposal, the risk to project success would be inherently increased. That risk cannot be mitigated in the same fashion as tackling each major subgroup in a methodical manner, with a further technical and economic risk that the inadequate attention may generate unreliable solutions. One of the key technical issues, which is the core of this project, lies with the prediction of the structural loads in the case of a ship hull having not only multiple openings at the bottom, but also when wave energy is converted into pneumatic energy through an air turbine represented, at model scale, by an orifice plate. A purely analytical/numerical approach to predict such loads would be very risky in the case of this particularly challenging fluid-structure interaction problem presenting an air and water interface. Only a carefully thought-out experimental approach can provide an initial set of data required by the naval architect to assess the feasibility of the proposed concept.The project will be industry-led by Protean Wave Technology Ltd (PWT), with detailed work packages delegated to the parties with greatest expertise in each area. PWT will manage the project, communicate with Innovate UK on financial matters and report the project deliverables. PWT will coordinate and deliver the structural and stability analyses, whilst liaising and working closely with the team in Cranfield University on the test program.